Toothache before mikveh - Nishmat Yoatzot Halacha

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Toothache before mikveh

December 5, 2006

Question

I am planning on going to the mikvah tomorrow night. A couple of days ago one of my teeth started hurting. I haven't been to the dentist yet, though I will make an appointment if it continues to bother me. The tooth has a permanent filling in it, though it doesn't appear loose to me. I'm not really sure why it hurts, it could be anything. The tooth could be cracked or I don't know. My question is do I have to go to the dentist in order to determine the source of the discomfort (maybe it is the filling) before I go to the mikvah? I'm not sure if this is a silly question or not. It's been a while since I learned all the halachos and I remember learning something about fillings. Thank you.

Answer

Even a loose tooth that must be removed is not considered a chatzitzah, since it is a natural part of the body. So long as you are able to clean your tooth properly, you may immerse in the mikveh without having the dentist check it first. In fact, this may be to your advantage since a temporary filling presents certain halachic questions (which may well be what you learned about).

There is a general halachic preference to delay dental treatment until one week after immersion. Of course, if you are in pain, you can go to the dentist sooner.

Refuah sheleimah!