Deep Sea Diving is one of them dream jobs than many of us would love to do – being able to explore the world’s deeps and mysterious oceans on a daily basis can only be a privilege. The same thing can be said for those who push their limitations by adventuring to the depths below for recreational purposes. Certainly plenty to discover, and it’s an actual fact that we know more about the surface of the moon, Venus and Mars than we do about our oceans. If it’s part of your bucket to explore ocean or a career path you’re destined to explore, then it’s worth acknowledging that it doesn’t come without its dangers.

Of course, diving is often looked upon as an incredibly fun and phenomenal experience, however the dangers can’t always be spotted by the naked eye. Those who wish to dive down into the Earth’s perilous waters must firstly respect the rules in place that will save their lives and they’re don’t include checking your diving equipment and that piston rings are airtight on your tank. In this article, we’ll discuss the most important rules to follow to safely deep-sea dive, including knowing your limits, practicing safe ascents, and looking after your teeth.

Number one: Don’t beat your bubbles.

One of the first threats to know about when diving, is the dangers of not adjusting to the fluctuating pressure that come within your surroundings, whether this in the water or the air, before and after a dive. Slowly ascending is as important as breathing constantly — if you ascend too early, the nitrogen in your body from the deep sea won’t have time to exit the body through the lungs and will expand at such a rate that would subsequently lead to a range of dangerous problems.

Barotrauma, is the condition when the tissues around your body that have pockets of air get damaged, these could your sinuses, dental roots, lungs and ears, and can cause a great deal of pain and even rupture your ear drums or lungs, making it incredibly hard to breathe. As you ascend, water pressure decreases and vice versa — when ascending, follow the bubbles you breathe out. Don’t ascend faster than your bubbles or things will get sticky.

Decompression sickness is a conditioning that occurs from premature ascensions, where the pressure can result in nitrogen producing bubbles in the body, that often causes damage to the nerves and tissues, which can lead to fatal injuries or even causing paralysis.

Nitrogen narcosis is the condition which occurs when too much nitrogen builds up in the brain and causes you to feel delirious and make bad decisions as if you’ve drank alcohol. For example, you could end up removing your regulator because you think you can breathe underwater or end up being unable to read your gauges and instruments.

A safety recommendation would be to ascend slowly and maintain a steady rate no quicker than 30 feet per minute.

Number two: Know Your Limits

An obvious rule, but often overlooked when caught up in the moment of adventure. The most important thing to remember is that diving should be fun, not competitive. Dive within your limits. If you think that you might feel uncomfortable or if the conditions don’t seem safe, don’t be scared to cancel or rearrange at a different site or day. Never attempt something that you know you’re not mentally or physically prepared for because this puts you at risk before you’ve even started.

For example, if you’re planning a career as a saturation diver, it’s first best to access your claustrophobia limits. You’ll be kept in an underwater compression chamber for roughly a month, where you won’t be heading back up to the surface until your time is up. Don’t overestimate your abilities because you could end up in a really uncomfortable situation!

Number 3: Look After Your Teeth

A terrifying thought, but yes, it’s possible that any fillings and crowns could be blown out of the gum. Saturation diver David Beckett commented: “After a couple of hours of being in the chamber, one of my fillings blew off. Thankfully for me, when it blew off there was no pain, just a hole left where the filling used to sit.

Never mind the sharks and barracudas – a survey was conducted of recreational divers that revealed 41% of divers reported intense toothache, based by fluctuations in water pressure that had built in air pockets at the roots of their teeth. This is often made worse by divers who are inexperienced and clench their teeth or if they have underlying dental conditions, cavities, fractures, or poor fillings.

If you have any concerns about your teeth when diving, visit your dentist.

Be sure to stay safe while exploring the deep blue seas. – there’s plenty to discover but also rules that must be followed to ensure your safety.