MemberI wouldn't recommend ear plugs during an dental work....this will only intensify the sound in your head. Try using ear plugs and use an electric toothbrush and you'll see what I mean. All you can do is relax and hope for the best, we will all need dental work at some point or another.
Dental Work (Including Drilling) & Tinnitus — Questions and Experiences
- Thread starter Petloy
- Start date
I have tinnitus since I was 10 (runs in my family) and being a musician, worsened by ears from performing live as a singer and not protecting my ears on stage.
Anyhow, I was just at a new dentist because my old dentist who is nice, kind of has a dirty office and I hear this often from other people who go to the office.
She was performing a cleaning and was using a drill and at won't point, would drill in a sensitive area and I could hear the drill travel to my ear. I had her stop, because I never felt that sensation before. She assured me that it is actually normal. What she didn't know is that I have T, and I should have explained that, but since I never had a problem before, I didn't feel the need to bring it up. The drilling was short, about 3-5 minutes total, and that sensation wasn't constant.
After leaving the office, I have been focusing more on my T, and I definitely feel it is slightly higher pitched and more agitated.
I am pretty anxious, because my T is pretty loud normally, but have gotten used to it over the years. But I don't know if I am over analyzing which is putting more focus on my T and making it louder. It definitely seems more high pitch and annoying.
I am hoping it will ease up the next few days. Has anyone went to the dentist and had the same experience, but notice the spike went away?
I have a certain limit I can handle with T, and I always fear if I hit that threshold, I will end up having to plan suicide. I have fortunately been very functional in my life and don't sit and focus all day on it. I worked as a software programmer for many years, which allows me to focus a lot on my work.
Any support be appreciated.
Anyhow, I was just at a new dentist because my old dentist who is nice, kind of has a dirty office and I hear this often from other people who go to the office.
She was performing a cleaning and was using a drill and at won't point, would drill in a sensitive area and I could hear the drill travel to my ear. I had her stop, because I never felt that sensation before. She assured me that it is actually normal. What she didn't know is that I have T, and I should have explained that, but since I never had a problem before, I didn't feel the need to bring it up. The drilling was short, about 3-5 minutes total, and that sensation wasn't constant.
After leaving the office, I have been focusing more on my T, and I definitely feel it is slightly higher pitched and more agitated.
I am pretty anxious, because my T is pretty loud normally, but have gotten used to it over the years. But I don't know if I am over analyzing which is putting more focus on my T and making it louder. It definitely seems more high pitch and annoying.
I am hoping it will ease up the next few days. Has anyone went to the dentist and had the same experience, but notice the spike went away?
I have a certain limit I can handle with T, and I always fear if I hit that threshold, I will end up having to plan suicide. I have fortunately been very functional in my life and don't sit and focus all day on it. I worked as a software programmer for many years, which allows me to focus a lot on my work.
Any support be appreciated.
Hi @michaelbio: Given the short duration of the drilling, I think you will be fine. My guess is your tinnitus is loud right now because you are anxious over the dentist experience, plus are focusing on it more to see if the loudness is diminishing.
I also went in for a cleaning last week, my first since I have had tinnitus (I have some more serious dental work coming up later this year). But I already have talked with my dentist, and her staff, about my tinnitus and we have discussed how to handle it (it definitely helped that the office manager there has tinnitus!). I also sent my dentist two articles on dental work and T, which I will paste the link for here.
http://www.ata.org/sites/ata.org/fi...Makes_Tinnitus_Worse/dental_work_excerpts.pdf
http://www.ata.org/sites/ata.org/fi...nt_dental_work_at_last_tabachnick_sept_96.pdf
I recommend you also have a detailed discussion with your dentist in regards to your tinnitus as well. Also, I wore noise cancelling headphones and playing some pink noise while the work was going on.
BTW: They don't usually use a drill for cleaning, do they??
I also went in for a cleaning last week, my first since I have had tinnitus (I have some more serious dental work coming up later this year). But I already have talked with my dentist, and her staff, about my tinnitus and we have discussed how to handle it (it definitely helped that the office manager there has tinnitus!). I also sent my dentist two articles on dental work and T, which I will paste the link for here.
http://www.ata.org/sites/ata.org/fi...Makes_Tinnitus_Worse/dental_work_excerpts.pdf
http://www.ata.org/sites/ata.org/fi...nt_dental_work_at_last_tabachnick_sept_96.pdf
I recommend you also have a detailed discussion with your dentist in regards to your tinnitus as well. Also, I wore noise cancelling headphones and playing some pink noise while the work was going on.
BTW: They don't usually use a drill for cleaning, do they??
I had a prolonged period of dental high speed grinding that went on for around 20 minutes to install a crown on my tooth, and that resulted in such a severe tinnitus spike, and me telling my wife she would probably be a widow very soon and be prepared. It took around 4 -5 months for it to gradually ease up a bit, but it is still way worse now than it ever was in the past before that.
Thanks for the feedback. Just you're response made me feel more at ease. I handled T pretty well over the years, but you understand the feeling when something suddenly changes and you are in battle mode and feeling excessively worried. So thank you so much.
It was definitely some cleaning tool, but at certain points went right from my tooth to ear with a loud high pitch sound. I am hoping it is like my loud concerts in the past, and decreases in a few days.
Thank you for the resources.
It was definitely some cleaning tool, but at certain points went right from my tooth to ear with a loud high pitch sound. I am hoping it is like my loud concerts in the past, and decreases in a few days.
Thank you for the resources.
Sorry to hear object. I can imagine how how bad it was. I'm glad it got a little better. I do novae a crown appointment scheduled for a root canal I had 2 years ago, but I think I'll just cancel it because the dentist is too friggin traumatic.
My dentist has suggested also noise canceling headphones playing a light masking noise. I tried if for a cleaning and it worked fine. I go in for cavity work on Monday.
I never had a problem with dentist, until T ofcourse. I have T for two years now but I'm also a bit hyperacustic. I can't stand pitch sounds, forks on plates, breaks on cars, etc. I wear plugs most of the time. I had my upper teeth fixed before T and on my down teeth I still have old fillings. But. Yesterday I broke a little piece of my upper tooth which got root canal five years ago so there is no pain but mild sensitive. I am sensing that I should be visiting dentist soon and it terrifies me the most since sound of drills is passing through the bones and even if I wear plugs or earphones it still gets to my ears. I have a mild hearing damage on both ears after a house alarm took off and I was trying to shut it down for a few minutes woring for a neighbors 
A week later T kicked in. Few months later hyperaccuses and anxiety and fear of sounds. So... what should I tell my dentins? How long can it drill not to damage hearing cells? Thank you all!
A week later T kicked in. Few months later hyperaccuses and anxiety and fear of sounds. So... what should I tell my dentins? How long can it drill not to damage hearing cells? Thank you all!
ATA suggests drilling for 5 seconds, then 10 pause, then again 5 seconds. This means that you are going to have to explain it to your dentist. Also, many T sufferers here with noise-induced T have had dental work done without problems so it doesn't necessarily have to get worse. Maybe try a local anesthetic as it will weaken the connections between nerves. In addition to this, dental procedures can be avoided by good hygiene, so speak to your dentist
If they fill in the cavaties they have to use a regular drill anyway
Just relax and stay out of loud noise before/after the procedure. Dont postpone dental work: it can become very bad.
where are you from? laser is okay for some fillings ( doesn't work for all ) but in the end the dentist has to drill the filling down and that can't be done without a regular drill so laser doesn't really help avoiding the usual drilling.
but I had some fillings done with Tinnitus and it never had an effect on me. Keep in mind that it only takes a few minutes of drilling most of the time. You should try noise canceling headphones they help me a lot.
the sound is carried on by the nerves anyway due to the bonestructure so does it actually help?
no only a little part of it is bone conduction but a lot of the noises at the dentist reach the ear from the outside so it does help. also many hyperacustic people find the air flow of the dental assistant quite loud and uncomfortable and the noise canceling headphones help 100 % against that.
Hey guys I dont know how well informed you are about teeth but my very through dentist has given me some good tips about hygiene. Of course it doesnt help with all problems but can help revent cavities
1) Use a soft toothbrush and brush very softly. If you brush too hard it will do damage to your teeth's enamels. The point of brushing is for your teeth to get the necessary substances from the toothbrush.
2) Use a good toothpaste. Big companies such as Colgate are not very good as they dont really have necessary substances in them. I think the most imporant one is fluoride but Im not sure. I personally use sensodyne( its one of the pastes that my dentist recommended and sold everywhere) but ask your dentist about it. Also, make sure to brush for 2-3 minutes - otherwise it wont help.
3) In the morning brush your teeth BEFORE you eat (because otherwise the levels of acid are high in your mouth and brushing will to damage). After eating you can chew gum.
4) Buy gum that has xylitol in it. For example Orbit (or that least the ones sold here) does not have it in it. You probably can find good gum in pharamacies. Chew a piece of gum after every meal.
5) Use floss every evening. Brushing doesn't help clean the gaps between the teeht and thats where flossing comes in.
6) And the most important one - dont eat more than 4-5 times a day. Also, between meals drink only pure water. Tyat means no tea, no coffee, no mineral or flavoured water. Otherwise for your teeth it shall count as an "acid attack". Therefore drink coffee/tea with or after meals. From what Ive heard, sugar is not actually bad for teeth - it is only bad if you snack.
Maybe these helps will help some of us protect our teeth and therefore avoid long dental procedures
I dont know how well informed you are about teeth but my very through dentist has given me some good tips about hygiene. Of course it doesnt help with all problems but can help revent cavities1) Use a soft toothbrush and brush very softly. If you brush too hard it will do damage to your teeth's enamels. The point of brushing is for your teeth to get the necessary substances from the toothbrush.
2) Use a good toothpaste. Big companies such as Colgate are not very good as they dont really have necessary substances in them. I think the most imporant one is fluoride but Im not sure. I personally use sensodyne( its one of the pastes that my dentist recommended and sold everywhere) but ask your dentist about it. Also, make sure to brush for 2-3 minutes - otherwise it wont help.
3) In the morning brush your teeth BEFORE you eat (because otherwise the levels of acid are high in your mouth and brushing will to damage). After eating you can chew gum.
4) Buy gum that has xylitol in it. For example Orbit (or that least the ones sold here) does not have it in it. You probably can find good gum in pharamacies. Chew a piece of gum after every meal.
5) Use floss every evening. Brushing doesn't help clean the gaps between the teeht and thats where flossing comes in.
6) And the most important one - dont eat more than 4-5 times a day. Also, between meals drink only pure water. Tyat means no tea, no coffee, no mineral or flavoured water. Otherwise for your teeth it shall count as an "acid attack". Therefore drink coffee/tea with or after meals. From what Ive heard, sugar is not actually bad for teeth - it is only bad if you snack.
Maybe these helps will help some of us protect our teeth and therefore avoid long dental procedures
I recently got a lower tooth pulled out (in the right jaw and in the right ear it is louder as well). Actually is wasnt pulled out, but they cut the area on the tooth open and then pulled it. They used some sort of local anaesthetic and I took amoxicyllin for a week. I was swollen like a hamster for a week but nothing happened to my T. If you become very swollen then theoretically it could get louder but that would only be temporary. Amoxicyllin and other antibiotics engind with -cyllin do not have an effect on T, some pain killers (ibumetin) do but its temporary unless you eat 100 pills a day. Some people have an allergic reaction to local anaesthetics (lidocaine, eg.) but these are quite rare cases. If you have had a doctor used some sort of local anaesthetic before and it didnt have an effect on your ears its not likely you wll have it now. Not pulling out teeth can create infections, which are way worse so speak to your doc and pull them out.
Johno
Member
- Jan 8, 2014
- 231
- Tinnitus Since
- 6/07/2012
- Cause of Tinnitus
- acoustic trauma
Yesterday i visit dentist and she dig a hole into my tooth. Roaring noise of drilling-machine trought bone conduction was awful loud. And yes, my T is worse now.
I can not sleep either, but now it was even worse. I am tired and hope, worsening of my T is only temporary and return to condition before. 
Yesterday i visit dentist and she dig a hole into my tooth. Roaring noise of drilling-machine trought bone conduction was awful loud. And yes, my T is worse now.
I hope it will go down. Maybe its your anxiety making it louder. Also, next time ask your dentist to drill for 5 sed and then stop for 10 - that will help your ears rest. If you have hyperacusis, wear eardefenders as seal suggested
Johno
Member
- Jan 8, 2014
- 231
- Tinnitus Since
- 6/07/2012
- Cause of Tinnitus
- acoustic trauma
I hope it will go down. Maybe its your anxiety making it louder. Also, next time ask your dentist to drill for 5 sed and then stop for 10 - that will help your ears rest. If you have hyperacusis, wear eardefenders as seal suggested
She know about my problem and she made pauses
but anyway... f***ing bone conduction, it can't be reduced. I feel, my ears are now more sensitive - hyperacusis is slightly worse. I took 40mg of prednisone yesterday (from my home resources). I have cottton in my ears always, if I am out. Only home are my ears empty. I wear earplugs always with me, i used them yesterday, but she has modern quiet machines and all of the sound i feel came trough bones.She know about my problem and she made pauses
let us know if it goes down but im quite sure it will
Normal earplugs are no good as the noise is conducted via the bones....use noise cancelling head phones, they really decrease the sound. I had loads of dental work done a couple of years ago (mercury poisoning so I had all metal fillings replaced) and had no problem whatsoever. The anxiety (unfounded) was worse than the treatment and I had the last few done without the headphones and no increase in tinnitus at all. You'll be fine, it will go back to normal, just an increase in anxiety which affects most people with tinnitus.
Need some help here. I am just 6 weeks into a sound induced T, it is very reactive to all sounds that are close to the T. Like computer fans and hair dryers.
I have a dental work to be made in a couple of weeks, could be a nasty one with a bad rooth canal.
Guess plugs will do no difference here. My question is, should i reschedule this one and hope for a T settlement later on?
I have a dental work to be made in a couple of weeks, could be a nasty one with a bad rooth canal.
Guess plugs will do no difference here. My question is, should i reschedule this one and hope for a T settlement later on?
mick1987
Member
Hi nick, totally sympathize, I have just come back from the dentist an hour ago, I went because I had a painless lump on my upper gum...not good news, its an infection in the tooth root! She basically said they could try a tricky root canal which probable won't work, so I've booked in for an extraction on Friday! Its the third tooth along so I will have a gappy smile....great! That's not all either...she found 3 teeth that need fillings.....3 fillings! I refused...too much drilling, just having the tooth pulled out, sucks!
Sorry I can't give you any advice, I'm in the same situation.
Sorry I can't give you any advice, I'm in the same situation.
No get it done because i know a badly infected tooth can worsen (and even cause!) Tinnitus. Instead of plugs I would go with noise canceling headphones - I use them during dental procedures - and i had no problems with it.
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