Night guard for teeth grinding to help with tinnitus?

Hearing Loss
#1

I have noticed that my tinnitus is MUCH worse when I go to bed tense and I wake up with my ears ringing like crazy…very loud, and I usually have a horrible headache. I had a crown replaced today and my dentist says I definitely grind on my teeth.

I have been fitted for a mouth guard today…it’ll be here in about 3 weeks. The guard will fit my UPPER teeth, which is interesting…since my Dad uses one for his lower teeth and says he’s never heard of guards being used on the upper teeth.

Has anyone with tinnitus here found that they grind their teeth? Did a mouth guard help?

If “bruxism” is indeed the cause of my hearing loss (which I am reading IS possible), can it be reversed by wearing the mouth guards? If the mouth guards can help prevent any further hearing loss or reduce my tinnitus, I think it will have been worth it.

#2

I have tinnitus, but have only woken up to it ringing really badly once. I think mostly I just try and tune it out (I hear it but I pretend I can’t) :rolleyes:

But I too grind my teeth very badly. Firstly thing my new dentist said to me was that I’m a teeth grinder. I didn’t need him to tell though, an ex told me once that it is the most horrible sound. He used to wake me up when he heard it cause he was so worried about what it was doing to my teeth. :frowning: Anyway, my dentist doesn’t want to fit me with a mouth guard until he has finished with a couple of my teeth… so that won’t be til a little while yet. I’ll be getting it to help protect my teeth, but will be watching this thread with interest to see if it does indeed play a part in helping reduce tinnitus. Please keep us informed Hearing2011.

#3

Will do…thanks, Nine! I will get the guard in about 3-4 weeks.

#4

I actually started grinding my teeth (I have stopped now) around when my hearing first started to decline more - I think it was frustration of not being able to hear right and stress with it (new job around that time too but I never grinding before that).

I did get a guard and it helps to relax the jaw because it keeps your mouth slightly open. I only have tinnitus in one ear and i mostly only hear it when I have my aids out - so at night. But I DO notice it is louder in the morning when I wake up. I know that I sometimes clench my teeth when I sleep but I do not think I grind anymore as I haven’t worn the guard for a long time.

Around than when I first developed the tinnitus too but I don’t know if it is because my grinding teeth because well I still have it. I do know that I have an uneven bite because of wrongly done orthodontist procedure when I was a kid (dentist said the reason my bit is misaligned is because they took out too many teeth on top and not on the bottom) so I also have Tmj problems because of this. I often notice if I move my jaw a certain way sometimes that the tinnitus will change.

So I am of the belief that it is jaw than my hearing loss that causes my tinnitus because why don’t I have it in my other ear if it is my hearing loss? My bite tends to set toward the right - tinntuis is in the left ear. My hearing loss is almost equal in both ears as far as I know.

I was also naughty and used a cotton swab because I thought my hearing loss was wax pre_HA so that might have been it too. That is why I went to the ENT - thought there was something in my ear causing the ringing and of course, nothing was there and my ENT dismissed it as part of my hearing loss and that I needed aids.

I still don’t believe that is what is causing the tinnitus and I never will. I have gotten used to mine - I sometimes even sit and listen to it esp. at night when I am going to sleep. Definately takes some psychological adjustment not to tell it drive you crazy! :):slight_smile:

#5

Interesting. My Mom also told me today about a certain type of massage on the jaw pressure points that can help to alleviate certain things of ringing or ear problems. I am going to have the massage…certainly can’t hurt.

I think I may have jumped the gun when it comes to my jaw. The pressure points the dentist touched weren’t really all that sensitive. I have never been diagnosed with TMJ before and my jaw really never hurts.

All I know is that when I am tense at night, I wake up the next morning with a splitting headache and my ears ringing intensely. It is almost unbearable. I know I grind my teeth at night when I’m tense, so the guard will definitely help. Whether it gets rid of the ringing all together, that remains to be seen.