Cologne, Germany  - People planning a diving holiday should visit a dentist and have a general medical check-up, according to Initiative proDente, a Cologne-based dental organisation.

It warned that loose dental fillings or small, untreated holes in one's teeth could have unpleasant consequences under water. The increased pressure made air trapped in dental cavities expand when a diver surfaced, it said, which could cause fillings or even parts of teeth to break off. (dpa)