I did a search-no luck. I cracked a tooth and had an emergency extraction today. I fly on a puddle jumper Sunday, and on Tuesday Lufthansa Charlotte-Munich. Any advice or experiences? I know that I get really bad headaches flying with a cold (cabin pressure changes?) Any suggestions? The oral surgeon said this is a question he'd not encountered before.

THanks.

Ambien. Good luck.

I think it depends on how good your oral surgeon is. My son had four teeth extracted the day before he flew to Paris and he was fine, and he's prone to headaches, so we were expecting the worst but it didn't happen. We had pain killers, but he didn't need them - slept all the way to Paris like a baby (I wish I were a teenager!).

I flew to Europe from Portland, OR, a few days after a root canal and temporary crown. I have sensitive teeth and developed a mild to moderate toothache the day after the procedure. The dentist gave me a prescription for antibiotics (in case I was developing an infection) and painkillers. I would ask your oral surgeon for the same in case you develop problems while abroad. I took both for the 10 days of my trip and my tooth settled down about three days into the journey.
A bad toothache can really ruin your travels, so it wouldn't hurt to take some precautions just in case (fill the prescriptions before you go).

Hi pilgrim,
you were given antibiotics and pain killers and you have been taking them regularly?
Follow the post operative directions : no smoking or using a straw.

You will be fine.

==Mike D.D.S.

Another example of why these forums are so great
pilgrim, good luck! not as bad as an extraction but the day before our last trip to Paris, my crown fell off. ( yes, I wear a crown) LOL..
thank goodness it was a Friday and the dentist was in, before we took off!

I can't answer your question, but I have a feeling that even though oral surgery is more traumatic than a cold, it may not have as much effect on your sinuses and consequently may not cause bad problems for you on your flight.

Since this is a "tooth thread," may I butt in and temporarily hijack it with a remotely Fodor-related tooth story? Yes? Oh, thanks. I really am in the mood to tell this story.

I'd had vague plans to visit an old friend in the DC area some weekend in the late winter/early spring. We picked a particular weekend in early March so we could go to a Fodors get-together in DC scheduled for that weekend. I arrived at my friend's house Friday night, and we planned to go to the Fodors GTG Sunday.

The theme of the party was Ireland, and not knowing a thing about Irish food, we'd very conscientiously tried to learn about Irish food so we could make some appropriate theme-related food contributions to the party. The party was being held in a hotel in DC, because it was being hosted by someone who lives far from the area, but goes to DC occasionally, and when she does, likes to attend (or host) one of those famous DC GTGs that Monica started. Because it was in a hotel, that ruled out any cooked dishes that would need to be re-heated. The plan was for me to pick up some good Irish cheeses at a great cheese store near where I live on Thursday. However, I couldn't because that's the day my car suffered a fatal breakdown and therefore had no way to get to the store. So Saturday, when we were wandering around Alexandria, VA, my friend and I allowed plenty of time to shop for cheese and other goodies for the GTG.

Sunday, we sent to DC by Metro, laden down with our heavy tote bags full of food. When we got to the hotel and made our way to the floor and room where the party was to be held, we were puzzled. Everything was eerily silent--no one else arriving at the same time, no sounds of laughter or chatter coming from the room. And even more disturbing, there was a huge maids' dumpster filled with dirty laundry right outside the pasrty room. Hmmm? We knocked. And waited. And knocked again. Finally the maid answered. The guests had checked out. Thinking we must simply have the wrong room number, we went to the hotel's Internet center to use the computers and check our e-mails containing the GTG info. OOPS! We had BOTH gotten the dates wrong. The party had been SATURDAY!

Rather than sit on a park bench and eat fruit, chocolate, and Irish cheese for lunch, we decided to eat lunch in a little French restaurant friends had mentioned a few times, Bistro du Coin. My friend had been having major dental work, and all her teeth had temporary crowns, in units of three. Therefore she had to order all soft foods that required litle chewing. She chose French onion soup and a salad. She got through the salad just fine. But the soup was another story. That gooey cheese attacked her teeth, wrapped itself around a unit of the crown, and then, when she swallowed, that powerful wad of cheese yanked that crown right out of her mouth and sent it sliding down her throat. She ate three "teeth"! It all turned out OK, but we do wonder about the efect of those crowns on the ecosystem....

Thanks for the quick replies. I'm on an antibiotic mouthwash, but no antibiotic tablets. It happened quickly--pain at 8:30, extration at 11:30. I'll be living on yogurt and pudding in the land of sacher torte and wiener schnitzel. Oh well, I'll feast on still lives at the museums!

Any recommendation for soft Austrian specialties other than boiled potatoes?

Thanks.

A problem with you eating Sacher Torte five or more days from now? Not a snowball's chance that it will cause you a problem.

Time to chocolate up, to the max. Cosmically ordained, my friend!

Best wishes,

Rex

Thanks Rex, did you say you were in RDU for your daughter's graduation? If so, congralations. UNC, Duke or State?

A few years ago DH had a root canal (unplanned) a day before we flew to Europe. On the flight over he mentioned the headache and pain he was experiencing. Within 24 hours of landing (a Sunday) he had to seek a dentist as he was in agony. Penicillin and another pain killer were prescribed after x-rays indicated no major problem. This was an interesting experience as the "on call" dentist & assistant spoke no English. DH managed with his German-however he struggled recalling vocabulary. The dentist didn't take credit card or US $$... he agreed to accept what DM we had, which was far less than the normal fee, leaving enough to pay for the prescriptions. We offered to return later with additional DM but he said no. He kindly sent his assistant with us to get the prescriptions. The German dentist and our dentist at home suggested this episode was a result of the flight. No problem (eventually) but the first few days were tough.

Last summer when I was on the island of Spetses in Greece I got an infection in one of my wisdom teeth, my face swelled up and the whole bit. Since we were staying with family I enquired about a dentist on the island but they said he wasn't very good and I should go back to the mainland if I needed a procedure. Since I was heading back to the US in 4 days I stuffed myself full of ibuprofin and waited until I got home. I didn't find the flight home anymore uncomfortable than anything else. After I got the 2 teeth removed I was flying again within 4 days with no discomfort what so ever.

It probably has nothing to do with "how good" your oral surgeon was but rather how tough YOU are!

Faux once had a root canal early in the morning and flew to the UK that evening without a problem. She did have medicine with her in case it was needed, but it wasn't.

Then there was the trip where she had a crown fall off in Scotland and stuck it back on with super glue (twice); the tooth had been root canaled (no pain). Of course, it eventually fell off for good and Faux had to see the dentist when she returned home to get it taken care of (new crown was required). For the record: use very little super glue and do not glue it to your cheek. Faux was very careful and did not want to bother looking for a dentist to have the crown professionally reglued (or a new one made) during her vacation.

In case of problems, Faux reminds you that there are dentists in Europe.

My dentist told me that it was not advised to fly with a temporary crown - he said wait until the real crown was permanently cemented in place. Apparently air can be trapped under the temporary and as the plane rises/air pressure reduces the air under the crown can expand and can cause a lot of pain.

Thanks for all the replies, and the humor.
Hi Faux, I know that there are wonderful dentists in Europe. I lived there happily for two years in the 80's, but I'm afraid German is not my second tongue. I guess "ouch" needs no translation!!

I appreciate all your reassurance and great anecdotes. I'm off!

As most A/L cabins are pressurized to about 6000 ft, unless you are diabetic or have a systemic illness like Lupus, you should have no problem.
M

there is a big difference between a root canal and an extraction in the post op period. as .ong as you did not have maxillary sinus perforation you should have no problem flying as technically the sockett is open and air pressure cannot build up in there. you may have a softer diet for 2-3 days then you cna go back to a regular diet being a little careful mot to chew directluy over the eextraction site. post root canla or dudring the proceedure is a little different and can have more problems but generally sssstilll saafe to fly with. there is no reason that one cannot fly with a temporary crown if it fits and is cemented properly.