Could Teeth Grinding be the Cause of Your Tinnitus?

Signs that bruxism may be a contributory factor.

Teeth grinding is relatively common amongst adults, especially in the West. Although the exact causes of this are not fully known, it is widely believed to be related to stress.

Although changing our situation to ease the stress is an ideal solution to the problem, this is not always practical and even a concerted attempt to bring down stress levels can take several years.

Whilst damage to the teeth such as the wearing down of the enamel and even broken teeth can be caused by teeth grinding (or bruxism), what is perhaps less well known is that it is also thought to be a factor in those suffering from tinnitus.

If you have tinnitus and have some the following symptoms, it may well be that bruxism is a contributory factor in its cause.

1- Loud grinding sounds whilst asleep

2 – Front teeth that have become blunt over time

3 – Enamel that has become eroded

4 – Painful toothache

5 – Muscular pain or tension in the jaw area

6 – A sore back and neck

7 – Headaches or migraines

8 – Sleep disturbance

As tinnitus is often a constant irritant, at least to the sufferer, you will be pleased to know that if yours is caused by bruxism, at Arthur House Dental Care we are able to offer a solution which should help to prevent you from grinding your teeth, even when asleep and not ‘in control’ of it.

Although there is no ‘cure’ as such at the moment, the use of a dental splint is an effective method of preventing teeth from grinding together. This is worn at night, when most tooth grinding occurs, and works by reducing the activity of the jaw muscles. By doing this, the teeth are prevented from meeting should you attempt to grind them inadvertently whilst you sleep.

This simple method of bruxism prevention may also help to relieve your tinnitus and will certainly aid in the prevention of any damage that may be caused to your teeth by the teeth grinding.

Many of our patients from the sutton Coldfield and Birmingham area that have had a dental splint have noted that they now sleep much better and that their partners too have benefited through not being woken by the sound of teeth grinding together in the middle of the night.

Whilst a long term solution should be sought to relieve the stress that may be causing your bruxism and possibly your tinnitus, a dental split from our local family dental practice in Sutton Coldfield may help you to overcome the worst of the symptoms in the meantime.

If you, or your partner, suffer from teeth grinding, why not give Arthur House Dental Care a call and arrange a consultation on 0121 323 4492? We’ll be pleased to help.