What is barodontalgia?

Barodontalgia is pain that occurs as pressure changes.

Other difficult conditions in dentistry that may be similar to barodontalgia.

This is the 10th in a series of multiple post series about orofacial pain with difficult to diagnosis or unusual origin.

1. Cracked tooth syndrome
2. Trigeminal neuralgia
3. Atypical odontalgia
4. Neuralgia-inducing cavitational osteonecrosis or NICO
5. Referred pain
6. Myofascial pain 
7. Burning Mouth Syndrome 
8. Oral dysesthesia
9. First bite syndrome
10. Barodontalgia

What causes barodontalgia?

We believe that small air pockets inside of a tooth are the cause of the pain. They could be air pockets inside dental restorations on vital teeth that cause of the pain. The theory of this one goes that as the outside air pressure changes, the air pocket puts pressure on the dentinal tubules which the individual experiences as pain. The other theory is that gas inside a necrotic tooth chamber is the cause of the pain.

Who will experience barodontalgia?

Military pilots and divers are the two individuals most likely to experience this phenomenon.

How do we treat this condition?

If the individual knows which tooth is giving them trouble we can try replacing whatever dentistry there is on that tooth. Another cause that seem plausible are that the tooth is borderline for needing a root canal.

Is barodontalgia even real?

There is some debate as to whether this is truly a thing. Individuals that experience tooth pain at altitude or under water could be experiencing sinus pressure pain. Sinus pressure often feels like tooth pain. An average person is not going to have this happen.