Effects of high altitude on oral health: A review of literature

The human body is fragile. Not only it’s easily damaged by sharp or heavy objects and temperatures beyond a fairly narrow range, but it can even react badly to going too high above sea level. Altitude, like elevation, is the distance above sea level. The Indian Armed Forces have accepted 2700m height above sea level as cut-off height for defining high altitude. As the altitude rises the air pressure drops, oxygen concentration decreases leading to many pathophysiological processes responsible for health deterioration.The Physiological Changes which take place at high altitude includes the increase in the amount of breathing due to decreased oxygen level and breathlessness on exertion, increase in heart rate which occurs immediately on the ascent and stays higher than normal values, increase in production of red blood cells to carry oxygen, Increase in urination, Sleep Disturbance, Loss of appetite & Gastric flatulence. Many studies have focused on oral health problems at high altitude which includes salivary changes, dental anaesthesia,inflammation, dental fluorosis, and Barodontalgia. This reviewaims to summarize the major published findings relating to the oral health of living in high-altitude areas.