If you experience ringing in your ears, you probably don’t think to mention it when you’re in to see us. After all, we deal with teeth and oral health, which doesn’t seem like it would have any connection to your ears at all.
However, there are some oral conditions that can actually result in ringing in your ears. One of these conditions, tinnitus, can be a sign that you’re experiencing an issue with the joints that open and close your mouth.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a recurring buzzing, ringing, or other type of noise in the ears. Generally, tinnitus is a sign that something else is going on in your body. The ringing may come and go, or it may actually be somewhat consistent. In the dental world, if you have tinnitus along with pain in the jaw or teeth, it’s often an indication that you’re dealing with a temporomandibular joint disorder or TMJ.
What is TMJ?
TMJ occurs when the joints that are located below your ears on either side of your face begin to have issues. These joints are responsible for opening and closing your mouth. There are several different disorders that can affect them, but all have some common symptoms. These include having difficulty moving your mouth, feeling pain in your face, or hearing a noise when you chew.
The Connection Between Tinnitus and TMJ
If you suddenly develop tinnitus, it’s often a sign that there’s too much pressure on the TMJ and the muscles attached to it. This can come from grinding your teeth at night or from clenching your jaw a lot. Often, the actual culprit behind all of this is stress.
If you’ve started hearing ringing in your ears that your doctor can’t figure out, call us. We will examine your jaw and the joints connected to it to see if you’re dealing with TMJ.