Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, or whooshing noise in the ears that’s not related to outside sounds. It can have many causes, including impacted teeth and mouth infections. Treating the tooth issues can improve or eliminate the tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a ringing in your ears that other people can’t hear. It’s often related to hearing loss, loud noise, or an ear infection. But it can also be a symptom of another issue, including a variety of tooth or jaw issues, like impacted wisdom teeth.
This article will explain how your wisdom teeth can cause tinnitus and how treating that underlying cause can improve or eliminate the symptoms entirely.
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It could be due to the fact that impacted wisdom teeth and even those breaking through the gum line may cause inflammation in adjoining areas, potentially including the middle ear.
Additionally, wisdom teeth can provide bacteria with a place to grow and enter the gums. This can lead to infections or cysts that impact the jaw and nerves, causing tinnitus.
Dental surgery to remove impacted wisdom teeth may also cause tinnitus. This can be due to auditory damage from the noise involved or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders that may occur from oral surgery.
A tooth extraction may cause tinnitus for several reasons.
One potential reason is the use of dental drills. The noise level and pitch of the drill near the ears can cause some individuals to experience tinnitus during the procedure or for a period of time after.
Additionally, tooth extraction can cause a misaligned bite or inflammation of tissues. People who have a tooth extracted may experience TMJ disorders.
Shifting teeth can mean a ringing noise in your ears because misalignment of teeth and an improper bite are common causes of TMJ disorders. Shifting teeth can also be caused by TMJ disorders that are not treated.
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There are several theories about why people with TMJ are more likely to experience tinnitus. These include:
- The chewing muscles are near other muscles that insert into the middle ear. If these muscles are unable to function as they should, it may trigger tinnitus.
- There can be a direct connection between the ligaments that attach to the jaw and one of the hearing bones in the middle ear. If this is overstrained or inflamed, it may contribute to tinnitus.
- The nerve supply from the temporomandibular joint is connected with the parts of the brain involved with hearing and sound interpretation.
- The general discomfort from TMJ disorders may aggravate pre-existing tinnitus.
People who are worried about having tinnitus after a tooth extraction can do some things to prepare before the procedure, including:
- avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine
- not smoking
- reducing stress
- talking with your dentist or oral surgeon about the procedure to better understand what to expect and if the use of earplugs would be helpful
- performing any mouth exercises and wearing a bite guard if instructed to do so
Your dentist can also prescribe medications to reduce pain or swelling and to help with anxiety about the procedure.
There is no one cure for tinnitus.
If impacted teeth, an improper bite, or a mouth infection are contributing to tinnitus, working with your doctor or a dentist to address these concerns may lessen or completely end the buzzing noises in your ears.
When tinnitus is due to the noise from medical equipment, it may diminish after the noise from this procedure is over. Reducing stress and avoiding more exposure to loud noises can also help.
Tinnitus is a buzzing, whooshing, or ringing noise that can’t be perceived by other individuals because it’s not coming from an outside source. Issues with a person’s teeth and jaw may cause them to experience tinnitus.
If tinnitus is negatively affecting your life, it’s important to talk with your doctor, so they can determine any underlying causes. In addition to treating any health conditions, finding ways to destress and avoiding exposure to loud noises may help eliminate the tinnitus.