Numb teeth on climb!
 

G'day guys and girls, long time lurker first time poster. I will jump straight into it, at the moment I am about half way through my instrument rating and, inadvertently, I left my command time a little bit late for a schedule that I have been placed on at my school. I have had to do almost 25 hours command in about 8 days and in that 8 days I had a cold. Go figure. Anywho, everyone but everyone knows that when you fly with a cold its bad news for the person. Being the pilot it was for me haha. I have almost gotten over the cold and the ears are no longer hurting but when I climb out, passing about 3000' my top row teeth (On the left side in particular) begin to go numb. They feel like they are a real extension of my gums and it is very painful, BUT, when I descend it feels like heaven. The feeling that after your leg has been asleep for ages, you know, pins and needles. I am going to see a doctor in the next few days but if anyone could shed any light on this remarkable medical phenomena (Or lack there of :}) I would be much appreciative. Thanks:ok: -Chris.

It's probably referred pain from the sinus cavities adjacent.

(That means its not actually the teeth causing the problem, but the sinus cavities. The nerve pathway get confused, and tell the brain the problem area is the teeth.)

:):}

That's one way to look at it, Ginge ! I find it easier to explain this to lay folk by saying that the longer roots of some upper-jaw teeth actually protrude into the air-filled maxillary sinus cavity directly above ! That more easily explains the apparent pressure sensitivity of teeth.

Either way, yet more reason for NOT flying when you have any kind of URTI ! !

Thanks for the reply folks, yeah that all sounds like what it could be. My shabby diagnosis was something along the lines of my blocked sinuses are residual effects from my cold and as I climb the air expansion is causing the sinus to, instead of release the air, expand. Placing pressure on underlying nerves and what not. Plus during the climb I can feel the air try and shoot out in quick bursts while it makes like squeaking noises around my nose.

Have you had any fillings in those teeth recently? Trapped air in the tooth can be excrutiating as well and does happen sometimes though it is rare.:}

No fillings recently, and I've been flying for a while so yeh. Not sure!