Many people suffer from jaw pain after flying so you’re not alone, it’s happened to me too and I’ve had sever jaw pain episodes several different times in my life, including TMJ / TMD and lock jaw pain while flying.
Flying can cause several dozen different temporary health problems including sinus pressure, jaw pain, ear and tooth pain. Jaw pain usually occurs during flights because of the pressure change your body is experiencing with the increase in altitude. You may notice a pain in your ears or get a headache for the same reason. The good news – changes in pressure during a flight aren’t likely to affect your healthy jaw for long. Flying frequently also doesn’t influence your overall jaw health, the pain you’re suffering will most likely be temporary. Also flying will not cause tooth decay, make new cavities, or permanently worsen health problems. If you have sensitive teeth or jaw pain while flying or after flying it should always go away within hours or days.
You may also experience toothaches on a plane because of sinus pressure. If the discomfort you experience while flying is across all your upper back teeth, it’s likely a problem related to the sinus nerves near your jaw rather than an individual tooth problem.
Can flying cause TMJ / TMD
Yes, but it will be temporary and should go away after a few hours. If your TMJ pain lasts longer than two weeks you need to see a dentist.
How do you get rid of tooth pain after flying?
Your tooth pain after flying should be temporary, and tooth pain in general should always be temporary (a few hours or at worse a few days). If it’s really bothering you then take pain relievers or use some numbing gel.
Is it normal for your teeth to hurt after a flight?
Yes! Don’t worry about it too much, especially if your dentist says your teeth are in good condition.