There is a small chance that you will experience hearing problems after wisdom tooth extraction. This is because the surgery can damage the bones and delicate tissue in the ear. If so, you may experience temporary hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
In most cases, these problems resolve on their own within a few days or weeks. However, if the damage is severe, you may need to see an otolaryngologist for treatment.
If you had your wisdom teeth removed, you may have noticed some changes in your hearing. Although not common, hearing problems can occur after wisdom teeth removal. There are a few reasons why this could happen.
First, the nerves that run from the teeth to the brain can be damaged during surgery. This can lead to temporary or even permanent hearing loss. Another reason for hearing problems after wisdom tooth removal is that surgery can cause inflammation and swelling in the middle ear.
This can affect the normal function of the ear and lead to hearing loss. If you have hearing problems after wisdom teeth removal, it's important to see a doctor right away. They can determine if your nerves or ears are damaged and treat them accordingly.
In most cases, these hearing problems are temporary and will resolve on their own over time. However, if the problem persists, you may need further treatment.
Can Wisdom Teeth Extraction Affect Ears?
The wisdom teeth are the third molars at the back of the mouth. They're called wisdom teeth because they usually appear during your teens or 20s, when you're considered "smarter" than you were as a child. Most people have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of the mouth.
But some people have more and some less. And some people don't have one! Wisdom teeth can cause problems if they are not placed properly.
They can grow obliquely or get stuck behind other (impacted) teeth. This can clog your mouth and damage other teeth. Wisdom teeth that are not removed can also become inflamed and cause pain.
As a result, many people choose to have their wisdom teeth removed by a dentist or oral surgeon. The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia, so you won't feel any pain during the operation. After that, pain and swelling may occur for a few days.
You may also have trouble opening your mouth for a week or two. But most people recover quickly and don't have long-term problems with their wisdom teeth removal.
Now let's answer the question: can wisdom teeth removal affect the ears?
Can a tooth extraction affect your hearing?
Yes, a tooth extraction can affect your hearing. While the procedure itself is unlikely to cause hearing damage, the anesthesia used during removal can have effects. General anesthesia numbs the entire body and can cause a temporary loss of balance and coordination.
This can cause dizziness or light-headedness, which can affect your hearing. In some cases, ringing or ringing in the ears can also occur after a tooth is pulled.
Why do my ears feel stuffy after wisdom tooth extraction?
After wisdom teeth are removed, it is not uncommon for the ears to become blocked. This is because the nerves that run from the teeth to the brain also run through the ears. When wisdom teeth are removed, these nerves can become irritated, which can lead to a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears.
The good news is that this feeling is usually temporary and will go away on its own within a few days. If you still feel pain or pressure in your ear after a week, contact your dentist or oral surgeon.
Can Dental Surgery Cause Ear Problems?
Dental surgery, like any other type of surgery, can cause complications. One of the most common complications of dental surgery is damage to the nerves that control facial muscles. This can cause problems with the movement or feel of the face.
In rare cases, a dental procedure can also lead to hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Although these complications are not common, it is important to be aware of them before undergoing any surgical procedure.
Complications after wisdom tooth surgery
Muffled hearing after tooth extraction
If you've ever had a tooth pulled, you may have noticed that your hearing is switched off for a short time. In fact, this is a common side effect of the procedure and not a cause for concern. The reason for this is that the removal process causes a small amount of bleeding in the middle ear.
This can lead to a condition called a hematoma, where blood pools in a place it normally wouldn't. Although bruises are usually harmless, they can cause temporary hearing loss. In most cases, the hearing loss goes away on its own within a few days and there is no need for treatment.
However, if your hearing loss persists or worsens, you should see your doctor to rule out other possible causes.
Can wisdom teeth cause muffled hearing?
It's no secret that wisdom teeth can cause many problems. They can clog your mouth, make chewing difficult, and worst of all, lead to muffled hearing. That's right, those pesky wisdom teeth can affect your hearing!
There are several ways that wisdom teeth can cause muffled hearing. First, when the wisdom teeth are affected (meaning they grow crooked rather than straight), they can put pressure on the jawbones. This pressure can cause swelling and pain in the jaw, which in turn can lead to muffled hearing.
Also, if you have an infection around your wisdom teeth, this fluid buildup can also put pressure on your jawbones, resulting in muffled hearing. If you notice any kind of muffled hearing, it's important to see a doctor or dentist right away. avoid serious problems. In most cases, however, the muffled hearing is temporary and will go away when the wisdom teeth are removed.
So, if you're dealing with those pesky wisdom teeth, there might be another problem to add to the list: muffled hearing!
Jaw and ear pain 3 weeks after wisdom tooth extraction
If your wisdom tooth was removed three weeks ago and you still have pain in your jaw and ear, you might be wondering what's going on. It's not uncommon to have residual pain after wisdom tooth extraction, but if the pain is severe or lasts for more than a few days, it could be a sign of a complication. A possible explanation for jaw and ear pain is that the extraction site has become infected.
This can happen when food or bacteria get trapped in the empty socket and begin to grow. Infection can cause swelling, redness, and discharge of pus. It can also be quite painful.
If you think you may have an infection, it's important to see your dentist or oral surgeon right away so they can prescribe antibiotics to cure it. Another possibility is that the nerves in the teeth were damaged during the extraction process. This is more common with the lower wisdom teeth because they are closer to the nerve pathways in the jaw.
If nerves have been damaged, you may experience numbness, tingling, or even pain in your lips, tongue, gums, or chin. The good news is that most cases of nerve damage go away on their own within a few months as the nerves heal on their own. However, in rare cases, surgery may be needed to relieve pressure on the nerves if they don't get better on their own.
If you're still having pain three weeks after your wisdom teeth were removed, make an appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon so they can determine what the cause might be and recommend appropriate treatment.
Ear pain 1 week after wisdom tooth extraction
If you had your wisdom tooth removed a week ago and you're still in pain, you're not alone. It is not uncommon to experience some discomfort a week or two after the procedure. Here are some things you can do to ease the pain:
* Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. * Place an ice pack on your face for 20 minutes at a time to reduce swelling. * Rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day.
* Eat soft foods and avoid chewing on the side of the mouth where the surgery was performed. * Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol as these can irritate the surgical site. If the pain is severe or getting worse instead of better, call your dentist right away. .
They can prescribe stronger drugs or they have to look at what's going on to make sure everything is healing properly.
Conclusion
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the back of the mouth that usually erupt in the late teens or early 20s. While most people have four wisdom teeth, some may have more or fewer. Impacted wisdom teeth occur when they don't have enough room to erupt through the gums.
This can happen when your other teeth crowd in your mouth and your wisdom teeth get stuck under gum tissue or bone. While impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause problems, they can cause pain, infection, and damage to adjacent teeth. Wisdom tooth extraction is a common procedure that is usually performed to remove impacted teeth before they cause problems.
After removing your wisdom teeth, discomfort and swelling are normal. Your doctor will prescribe painkillers to manage any discomfort you may experience. You should also expect bleeding and discharge from the donor site(s).
Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions for caring for your mouth after surgery, and be sure to eat soft foods and stay hydrated while it heals.
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FAQs
Can wisdom teeth removal affect hearing? ›
Many people report having muffled hearing after a tooth extraction. The reason for this is the extraction process can cause some inflammation in the area, which can cause ear pain or temporarily cause muffled hearing. The hearing loss will fade after the inflammation subsides.
Can tooth extraction affect your hearing? ›Micro-emboli: Micro-emboli can be released into blood during dental extraction, causing ischemia and infarction of the cochlea and subsequent hearing loss when they end up in inner ear circulation, similar to what can potentially occur following a cardiopulmonary bypass procedure (Farrell et al., 1991).
Why do I suddenly have hearing loss after dental work? ›Sudden hearing loss may occur after dental surgery because of noise exposure from drilling and the transmission of noise from the teeth to the ear. The noise intensity and duration of drilling may be risk factors for sudden hearing loss.
Why do my ears feel clogged after wisdom teeth removal? ›Ringing, buzzing sounds, pain in your ears, or the feeling that your ear is clogged can be due to muscle strain after having your mouth open during treatment. This may also due to an infection, bad bite, or you may have a cold or allergy that is causing the symptoms.
Can oral surgery cause hearing loss? ›Sudden hearing loss is rare after dental treatment, and awareness of this complication may prompt early referral for treatment and may improve recovery and prognosis.
Can dental surgery cause ear problems? ›It's not uncommon for people to find that they have some ear pain after having some treatment from their dentist, sometimes in combination with other types of pain e.g. a sore throat and earache after dental work.
Can wisdom teeth affect your ears? ›Ear Pain
Did you know that ear discomfort can be related to your temporomandibular joints and may even be the result of impacted wisdom teeth? This is because your wisdom teeth and jaw joints are located so close to the ears. Discomfort from impacted wisdom teeth may affect your ears, causing an earache.
Hearing loss has been reported to occur after different anesthetic techniques. It is often subclinical and can easily be obscured by other symptoms such as headache, nausea and dizziness. Therefore, audiometric evaluation is necessary for its detection. Hearing loss after spinal anesthesia is a rare phenomenon.
How long does it take for sudden hearing loss to heal? ›Treating SSNHL
The good news is that, in 32 to 79 percent of cases of sudden hearing loss, patients recover spontaneously, typically within the first two weeks. In patients with severe hearing loss and patients who also have vertigo, the chances of full recovery are smaller.
Sudden Hearing Loss: Usually Reversible
About half of people with the condition regain their hearing on their own. It usually gets better in a week or two. It can be treated with corticosteroid pills or shots. Read more about the different sudden hearing loss treatment options.
Can sudden hearing loss be permanent? ›
If you've developed rapid and sudden hearing loss in one or both ears—and you can't rule out any obvious causes listed below—get medical help right away. You may have harmful inflammation that can be treated aggressively with steroids. Without treatment, this hearing loss can become permanent.
Is it normal for your ears to feel clogged after surgery? ›Some bloody fluid may drain from your ear canal and the incision. Your ear will probably feel blocked or stuffy. You may not be able to hear as well as before. This usually gets better as the eardrum heals and after the doctor takes the cotton or gauze packing out of the ear canal.
Can wisdom teeth affect your ears and throat? ›Wisdom teeth that come in sideways, tilted or misaligned in the jaw, will press up against the surrounding teeth and shift your smile. Read on to learn how impacted wisdom teeth can cause recurring ear pain, sore throats, and other uncomfortable symptoms until they are successfully removed.
How do you relieve ear pressure? ›If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
Is it normal to lose hearing after surgery? ›Postoperative hearing loss following nonotologic surgery is rare. For patients undergoing subarachnoid anesthesia, the loss of cerebral spinal fluid and hence the drop in intracranial pressure can result in hearing loss and cranial nerve palsy.
How do you know if your hearing loss is permanent? ›Permanent Hearing Loss
Temporary hearing loss occurs with an ear infection, excessive ear wax, or exposure to loud noise. However, if hearing is lost and cannot be regained, it is considered permanent hearing loss.
When the healing process is not following a proper path, an infection can occur (also called a dry socket). The main symptoms of a dry socket are jaw and ear pain, which is why if you see any problem with your healing process, you need to contact your dentist as soon as possible.
Is it normal for my ear to hurt 1 week after wisdom teeth removal? ›It is not uncommon to have a sore throat or feel pain while swallowing after you go for a wisdom tooth extraction. Your muscles will inflame, making it difficult for you to swallow. Having stiff jaw muscles is also completely normal. Feeling pain in your ear is very similar to this problem.
How long does it take to recover from wisdom teeth removal? ›It can take up to 2 weeks to recover from the surgery for having your wisdom tooth or teeth removed. During this time, you may have: a swollen mouth and cheeks – this will be worse for the first few days but will gradually improve; gently pressing a cold cloth to your face helps reduce the swelling.
Can dental anesthesia cause tinnitus? ›After general anaesthesia no increase in the occurrence or level of tinnitus is to be expected, but there exists a very rare, but specific form of low frequency tinnitus combined with low frequency sensory hearing loss following spinal anaesthesia.
Is hearing loss a nerve damage? ›
Aging and exposure to loud noise may cause wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain. When these hairs or nerve cells are damaged or missing, electrical signals aren't transmitted as efficiently, and hearing loss occurs.
Will my hearing go back to normal? ›Most cases of hearing loss are permanent. Most types of hearing loss including a sensorineural hearing loss and a conductive hearing loss are a permanent hearing loss. This is also called a permanent threshold shift. A permanent hearing loss can develop and become worse (more severe) but never get better.
Will my hearing go back to normal in ear? ›Most of the time it's caused by natural changes to the inner ear as you get older. A lifetime of listening to loud noises, like playing music through headphones, can also cause hearing trouble. Once noise damages the hairs in the ear that help you hear, they don't grow back.
Can I get my hearing back to normal? ›There is no medical or surgical treatment for hearing loss caused by noise. Damaged hair cells do not grow back. As much as possible, you should try to protect your hearing. If you do have hearing loss, you should take steps to keep it from getting worse.
How long does temporary hearing loss last? ›Hearing loss and tinnitus can occur in one or both ears. Sometimes exposure to impulse or continuous loud noise causes a temporary hearing loss that disappears 16 to 48 hours later.
Why is my hearing muffled? ›What causes muffled hearing? Muffled hearing can be caused by something as simple as having earwax plugging your ear. It can be caused by an ear infection or fluid in the middle ear. It can be permanent hearing loss caused by excessive exposure to loud noise.
How long does it take for temporary hearing loss to come back? ›Exposure to a loud sound, either immediate or continuous, can cause noise-induced hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is often permanent, but it can sometimes be temporary. In those cases, sudden hearing loss recovery time is one or two days.
How do you fix sudden hearing loss? ›How is Sudden Hearing Loss Treated? It is generally accepted that steroids (cortisone), taken orally over 1 to 2 weeks, are the single most beneficial treatment for sudden hearing loss, although they do not lead to improvement in every case.
How can I restore my hearing naturally? ›Unfortunately, curing a hearing loss naturally is not currently possible. To restore hearing, intervention is generally required. This could be in the form of hearing aid devices. In some cases, surgical intervention can help restore hearing.
How long will my ear feel clogged after surgery? ›Ear pain and soreness are also common after surgery. These symptoms should go away during the first 3 to 5 days after surgery. Your doctor may prescribe pain medicine to take home for the first few days after surgery.
Can general anesthesia cause clogged ears? ›
Conclusion: Negative middle ear pressure was observed in many patients and otitis media with effusion (OME) developed in 3.3% of ears after surgery under general anesthesia.
Why has my ear been clogged for days? ›Allergies, head colds, pregnancy, and air pressure are some common reasons it may feel like your ears are full. Typically, plugged ears settle after a few days. Decongestants and nasal sprays are the best treatment for plugged ears that allergies and head colds cause.
Can wisdom teeth cause pressure in head and ears? ›In addition to these common symptoms, patients may experience a headache or dizziness from their wisdom teeth. Wisdom tooth headaches can be caused by inflammation and pressure around the jaw, and this inflammation can also cause dizziness. This tension can spread and also cause pain in the ears or neck.
How do you relieve ear pressure from wisdom teeth? ›If ear pain radiates to the teeth or jaw, over-the-counter pain relievers used for ear pain can help with oral or dental discomfort. You should not need painkillers prescribed for ear infections, but tell your doctor if the pain is uncontrollable.
Why does my throat and ear hurt after wisdom tooth extraction? ›This is totally normal. Sore throats after wisdom teeth extractions are caused by sore and swollen muscles near the surgical area, and this is a common complication that happens in many patients who have one or more wisdom teeth extracted.
Why is my ear so clogged I can't hear? ›Why is sound muffled when there doesn't appear to be anything inside your ear canal? The causes can range from the earwax to allergies to infections (yes, including COVID) to more insidious conditions like an anxiety disorder or Meniere's disease.
Will ear pressure fix itself? ›Your ear may unblock on its own within hours or days. But several home remedies and medications can provide fast relief. As you treat a clogged ear, it's also helpful to identify possible causes of the blockage. This way, you and your doctor can determine the best way to treat the clog and prevent future problems.
Why does my ear feel clogged and muffled? ›What Causes Muffled Hearing? If your ear feels clogged and muffled, you may have a Middle Ear Infection, also known as Otitis Media. You may even see fluid visibly draining from the ear, and it will probably also be sensitive to touch. In more severe cases, it can cause nausea and vomit.
Can wisdom teeth cause ear trouble? ›If a wisdom tooth's path to erupting is blocked, it grows in at an angle and wreaks havoc on your gums and jaw. Some of the signs of an impacted wisdom tooth include: Ear pain. Swelling, tenderness, and pain in gums.
Can wisdom teeth cause ringing in ears? ›Other dental causes of tinnitus are wisdom teeth. Yes, those pesky wisdom teeth can cause your ears to ring if they are impacted or infected. Also, teeth that have abscesses can also cause your ears to ring. If you have a problem mention it to your dentist to see if a dental problem is the cause.