Urgent advice needed: Dull aching wisdom tooth - can I still dive?

[Candyice]

Hi everyone!

I am hoping a dentist who is also an experienced diver can help me quickly. Is it ok for someone with a tooth decay to dive?

The reason why I am asking is because I am a beginner to diving (having only dived once ever). However, I have finally made arrangement to have my PADI Open Water Licence on 24th July ~ 27th July.

However starting from 1 week ago my lower right wisdom tooth has caused a dull ache whenever I stretch the muscles around it either by yawning or opened up my mouth too wide. The gums around it is not swollen so I think this is because of a bad tooth decay. I had fillings in before which was years ago and when I consulted my dentist over the phone he was not able to confirm for me whether I can dive or not.

I want to know whether this will seriously affect my diving course if I leave it and wait to have my tooth fixed after my diving? Will it lead to tooth squeeze? I am hoping that I can still complete my divings on 24th July.

Another slight complication is that the earliest appointment I can make is next Friday as I have to fly to another country to see him if I seriously need to get this treated before my diving!

Therefore, I am hoping an experienced dentist diver can answer me whether it is ok for someone with a tooth decay to still dive?

Any help and advice would be much much appreciated

Thank you!

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Hello Candyice,

I'm heading out the door in 10 minutes to go diving but I'll try to give you some information.

A dental cavity in a tooth does not cause muscular pain. However, an infection in the soft tissues surrounding a tooth or at the end of a tooth may trigger something called trismus. This is where the muscles, in response to an infection or injury sort of cramp up to brace and protect the affected portion of your body.

The fact that you report that you experience pain when you stretch your muscles when opening wide makes me think of two things.
1) A bite problem or clenching that has progressed to some degree of tempero-mandiblar joint dysfuntion.
2) An infection in or around the tooth you are reporting.

The question of whether you can dive is hard to answer. The likelihood of a problem due to a simple, relatively shallow cavity causing a problem is almost zero. On the otherhand, if there is an infection or the cavity is deep, then you are at some, although small risk of encountering a problem during your dives.

If the problem is muscle or joint related, you may experience difficulty holding the regulator in your mouth as the muscles fatigue.

I would suggest that you see a local dentist on an emergency basis for at least an x-ray and a diagnosis so you know exactly what is wrong. If the problem is not serious, then have a great time on your check out dives. If you have an infection that can be treated with an antibiotic, clear the infection prior to the dive trip. If you have a small cavity, you can probably sill dive. On the other hand, if the cavity is deep or the nerve is involved, you should have that condition addressed before further diving.

Gotta go.....SPLASH!

Laurence Stein, DDS

 

[Candyice]

Hello Laurence,

Thank you for the useful information! I don't think it is a bite problem, but yes, maybe an infection although the gums are not swollen

As you had mentioned, if there is an infection or the cavity is deep, what kind of problem would I possibly encounter? If this is a deep cavity, by having a tooth filling should solve the problem? If it is deep nerve and if I need to have my tooth extracted (I read somewhere else) does that mean I have to wait for another 4-6 weeks before I can actually do the dive for it to recover?

I hope u had a great dive yesterday, thanks once again!

Cheers
Candyice

 

[Rhone Man]

Bear in mind if it is a wisdom tooth, it might just be the natural aches that they periodically give some people you when they are growing (you didn't mention how old you were).

Mine gave me endless gip. The only diving concern I had was grip on the mouthpiece.

 

[irishsquid]

Bear in mind if it is a wisdom tooth, it might just be the natural aches that they periodically give some people you when they are growing (you didn't mention how old you were).

Mine gave me endless gip. The only diving concern I had was grip on the mouthpiece.

I'm an old Navy guy. Their approach was, if you're a diver, submariner, or aircrew; extract all wisdom teeth regardless. They (wisdom teeth) usually cause more problems than provide benefits.

 

[topcatz]

'freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose' Janice Joplin

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Candyice,

If you have a cavity, especially if it is near the nerve then may indeed have a problem diving... or anything else for that matter. The best "bad thing" that can happen if you are diving with a cavity is a condition called a barodontalgia... sudden tooth pain on descent or, more commonly on ascent. Whether you can stand the pain or not, believe me you will have to eventually come up.

If you have some sort of infection, it is possible to drive the bacteria deep into the soft tissues where it can move upwards into the face and/or brain or downwards into the chest. If that happens, you don't have to worry about diving... ever again!

Rhone Man is possibly correct. If the wisdom tooth is erupting it may periodically cause the gums over the tooth to become sore. This is called a pericoronitis. It can be mild or it can become a serious infection.

Since you don't know what is wrong and no one on the board, either professional or lay can examine your mouth, why not simply go to a dentist where you are and have it checked out. If it is not serious then enjoy your diving and continue treatment when you return home. On the other hand, if you do have a serious problem, you would be foolish to place scuba diving over your health.

In the event, you need your wisdom teeth extracted, you will most likely need to wait 1-2 weeks before returning to diving. You must be pain free, complication free and off all medications. You must be able to hold the regulator in your mouth for the entire period of the dive.

Please remember, I am not saying that you have a serious problem or that you need to have any teeth extracted of filled. I simply don't know. See a dentist where you are and help solve this problem.

Be safe.

Laurence Stein, DDS

 

[Candyice]

Hello everyone,

Thank you all for the useful advice!

I have went to a local dentist and had an x-ray done. What I have been adivsed is that the ache is caused by the wisdom tooth growing in the wrong direction, hence squeezing my other teeth so that is what is causing the tooth ache. This ultimately needs to be extracted.

Just one last question, as the pain in my mouth has dyed down considerably (it doesn't ache as much now that I open my mouth), I am planning to have my wisdom tooth extracted after my dive this weekend.

So the last Q I have is that with this situation, it should be ok to dive this weekend right?

Again, answer to my last question before I head off would be much much appreciated

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Most likely OK. There is a verrrrrry remote possibility that air can be trapped around the sac that surrounds the unerupted tooth. This air can migrate into potential spaces within the body. Considering the number of people that dive with impacted wisdom teeth and have no problems, you are probably safe.

 

[Digger54]

I'll put my two cents in... I'd guess that the most likely problem you would have if you have a decayed tooth might come from breathing relatively cool and very dry air. A tooth can get very sensitive when it's dried. If you do have some sort of infection or inflammation in soft tissue going on, it's probably not an issue as far as diving is concerned, but absolutely should be tended to by a professional.