Before taking off into space astronauts are prepared for greater than zero gravity and intricate control. Sometimes, it’s even an appointment with the dentist. Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla recently shared that the two wisdom teeth removed as part of his preparation for space travel, highlighting an not widely known but vital aspect of the health of astronauts.
At IIT Bombay, Shukla explained why dental health is considered seriously when it comes to astronaut selection. Space is a dangerous place, and there’s no medical assistance available immediately. Astronauts are taught to handle numerous emergencies on their own however there’s one thing they cannot perform on a spacecraft: dental surgical procedures.
“Your dental health is extremely important,” Shukla said. “If there is one thing you cannot manage in space, it’s dental surgery. So they make sure there will be no problems before you launch.”
Shukla, who became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station, flew earlier this year on the Axiom-4 mission. The commercial spaceflight was supported by ISRO and NASA and operated by Axiom Space. As part of his medical clearance, doctors removed two of his wisdom teeth to eliminate the risk of sudden pain or infection during the mission.
He was joined at the event by Group Captain Prasanth Nair and Group Captain Angad Pratap, both shortlisted for India’s Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first human spaceflight programme. The stories they shared made one thing clear: Shukla was not alone.
Nair had three teeth extracted, while Pratap had four molars removed during training. Joking about the process, Shukla said, “If you want to be an astronaut, you have to give up on your wisdom.”
Behind the humour lies a serious process. Astronaut candidates go through intense physical, medical, and psychological evaluations. By the end of 2019, the shortlisted pilots were even sent to Russia, where they underwent further medical tests conducted by Russian doctors.
The choice of Indian Air Force test pilots for space missions is also deliberate. According to Group Captain Pratap, countries with successful human space programmes, including the US, Russia, and China, have followed the same approach. Test pilots are already trained to operate in high-risk, high-pressure environments and are used to pushing machines and themselves to the limit.
Each year, around 200 IAF pilots apply to become test pilots, but only five are selected. For the Gaganyaan programme, the IAF reviewed 75 test pilots and shortlisted just four. Even then, selection does not guarantee a spaceflight.
“We have not actually been selected to be sent to space,” Pratap explained. “We have been selected to work on the ground, integrate with designers, and help develop the system. Around 70 to 80 percent of our training already matches astronaut training.”
Shukla’s experience offers a rare glimpse into the reality behind space missions. Beyond rockets, simulations, and space suits, success often comes down to small but crucial details. In space, even a toothache can become a serious threat. That is why, long before liftoff, astronauts make sure nothing is left to chance, not even their wisdom teeth.
