How long do you need to wait after a tooth extraction to fly safely? Or, how about if you’ve had other oral surgery procedures ? While there are no particular concerns with flying right after surgery, it is probably a good idea to rest for a few hours until the bleeding has completely stopped. But if you have to get on the plane right away and there is still bleeding from the extraction site, it is completely safe to do so.
In our original blog, ‘facts about flying after teeth extraction or dental implant,’ we described general facts and tips on flying after an oral surgery procedure. Important on-board care includes having adequate gauze and a disposal bag for collecting the old ones. Ask for an isle seat since you’ll probably need to use the restroom several times to change your gauze. Use narcotic pain medications cautiously as it causes drowsiness and it can make getting around the cabin a bit challenging. Have some yogurt and juices with you since the plane food will be too hard to eat. Post-operative nausea is always possible particularly if you had IV sedation or if you are taking narcotic pain medication. So have that white bag in your seat pocket near by!
With some basic preparation, you can fly safely after a tooth extraction or other oral surgery procedures.
See our full post-operative instructions
Dr. H. Ryan Kazemi is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Bethesda, MD.