dentist visit before diving!

[Karen Es]

Hi guys,

I was wondering, while I'm taking an appointment to have my teeth checked, is this is really important if I'm not going to dive very deep? Let's say 10 meters...
Most probably the answer is yes, but in any case...
I just hate dentists and the only issue I've got is that I don't enjoy the sound of the drill.
Anybody sharing a bad experience of teeth issues after diving?

Cheers,
Karen

 

[cummings66]

While I've never dove the day of or after a dental visit where I got a cavity filled, I have dove a week after and even 3 days after will no ill effects.

As I understand it, as long as you don't end up with an airspace in the filling you'll be fine. I just tell my dentist what I'm up to and that I want him to be sure the filling has no air space in it and so far I've been good.

 

[timle]

I brush twice a day and rarely visit a dentist - I dive without fearing a tooth squeeze - its a pretty rare event and rates pretty low on my things to worry about before a dive. While it could be quite painful it should not be life threating.

 

[ortoman]

I did not like the words' I hate dentists' as a dentist and orthodontist..

 

[jmani]

I spent a week doing deep dives in Cayman last year. The second to last day of diving, I had a crown pop-off on my ascent. No pain, nothing just pop and off came the crown. I pushid it back on with some polydent and it was good the rest of the trip. Say the dentist when I got back and she reglued it, everything was a-ok.

Ortoman - sorry about the dentist thing - but I had an evil childhood dentist, who is currently serving a jail term for insurance fraud and child abuse. (he was charging for procedures, doing some not others, and the worst part was he did not use any anastetic) So I say I hate the dentist too. But in defense of the profession after a 18 year break from the dentist I have found one I like and trust, and go to see her 3 times a year.

 

[Karen Es]

Ortoman,
I didn't mean literally that "I hate dentists", I just don't enjoy my visits after the bad experience of having one of my wisdom teeth removed, I remember that it was really painful. Now, I take my precautions of knowing the dentist, and that I have the right amount of anaesthetic before all my treatments!
Karen

 

[ortoman]

take it easy guys just kiddin.. I hate dentists too )
-btw, I am still a dentist-

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Another Dentist here...what hostility towards us ;-) If you were in Guam, I'd say come see me and you would probably have a different experience Anyway, as far as dentistry and diving. There isn't much that could go wrong. Mainly as stated earlier, air voids in fillings and possibly root canals could cause pain; but thats not very often. If a tooth is severely infect or suspect that you have oral problems. I would get it taken care of before you head of on a long dive trip. There is much more that could wrong with a sick tooth then with what a dentist puts in it!! Have a good one!!

 

[Ishie]

I had a filling on two really nasty cavities two days before I dived to 60-70' and no trouble, though I did keep asking the dentist about air space until he got sick of me.

When I was taking the class and read about tooth squeeze it was like "eeyah!!" but I haven't really seen it happen to anyone.

 

[Lonefox]

I discovered a crack in my tooth two weeks before heading off to do my Open Water course. I visited my dentist who filled 4 of my teeth, I made a point of telling him that I was going diving. Come the day of my Open Water Dives, I started to feel pain on one of my lower teeth. Almost enough to make me consider aborting, but my determination to get my Open Water Cert pushed me on.
I'm now a little concerned as I plan to do my advanced course in april, and I would like to do a deep dive as one of my specialities. I know I'm going to need to revisit my dentist, and I suspect he'll charge me for more treatment.