We are always listening to something. It could be music, podcasts, a TV show or an audiobook. Our hearing is so important to our daily lives that we take it for granted.
Hearing loss is a growing problem in the UK. 18 million adults are either deaf, losing their hearing or have tinnitus – that is one in three adults.[i] This impacts the economy, which loses an estimated £25 billion a year in lost productivity because of hearing loss.[ii]
For dental practitioners, hearing loss may not be a priority when treating patients. However, the association between temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and hearing loss demands attention. By reducing the risk of TMD for vulnerable patients, the likelihood of hearing loss may also decrease.
TMD symptoms usually focus on chewing pain, restrictions in opening the oral cavity and clicking noises in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).[iii] These are more recognisable signs and symptoms for patients to be aware of, but headaches and hearing loss must also be considered.
Many aural symptoms are associated with TMD, such as tinnitus, dizziness and aural fullness – blocked ears. The incidence of these symptoms reaches 85% among TMD patients.[iv] Because of this, it has been found that delivering TMD treatments to patients helps reduce the symptoms of aural fullness. Research has identified that 90.2% of patients saw significant improvements in their aural fullness after receiving TMD treatment.[v]
An explanation for the connection is that patients with clenching habits may damage the muscles needed for chewing. This leads to aural fullness and hearing problems.[vi] However, it is uncertain what the actual cause of the connection between TMD and hearing loss is because the cause of hearing loss itself is often hard to define.
The TMJ’s closeness to the ear means that when the jaw moves, pressure is increased in the Eustachian tube. This connects the middle ear, used for transmitting soundwaves, with the nasal-sinus cavity. The Eustachian tube drains fluid away from the middle ear to balance the pressure – this is how ears pop. An imbalance in pressure stops the Eustachian tube from properly draining the fluid, causing a blockage in the middle ear that inhibits hearing.
Similarly, the connection between TMD and hearing loss could be explained by the immune system. As TMD can cause arthritis and facial swelling, the close proximity means that the inflammation and swelling can affect nearby tissues and structures.[vii] The ear can therefore have increased pressure due to nearby inflammation.[viii]
Problem and solutionLeft unchecked or untreated, hearing loss can lead to other problems:
Hearing loss will also push the brain harder to process sounds, effecting memory. Dementia is linked to hearing loss: patients with untreated mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia. For those with severe hearing loss, it’s up to five times more likely.[x]
Dental practitioners can help avoid such outcomes by encouraging a greater awareness of TMD and its impact on the whole body, as well as helping TMD patients receive the treatment they need as early as possible.
For an excellent home therapy treatment option, the OraStretch® Press Jaw Rehab System from Total TMJ is a simple yet effective way of restoring strength and function to the jaw. User-operated, a squeeze of the handles opens the patient’s jaw, stretching the orofacial tissues. With a range of rehabilitation protocols for practitioners to recommend, the system can help a variety of TMD patients on the road to recovery, reclaiming a better quality of life.
Hearing shouldn’t be taken for granted. To give patients a better chance at reducing the risk of hearing loss, identify patients at risk of TMD early and improve their understanding of the symptoms.
For more details about Total TMJ and the products available, please email info@totaltmj.co.uk
[i] RNID (2024). Prevalence of deafness and hearing loss. [online] RNID. Available at: https://rnid.org.uk/get-involved/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/prevalence-of-deafness-and-hearing-loss/.
[ii] Hearing Link (2016). Facts about deafness & hearing loss – Hearing Link. [online] Hearing Link. Available at: https://www.hearinglink.org/your-hearing/about-hearing/facts-about-deafness-hearing-loss/
[iii] NHS Choices (2020). Temporomandibular disorder (TMD). [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/.
[iv] Kitsoulis, P., Marini, A., Iliou, K., Galani, V., Zimpis, A., Kanavaros, P. and Paraskevas, G. (2011). Signs and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Related to the Degree of Mouth Opening and Hearing Loss. BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders, 11(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6815-11-5.
[v] Peng, Y. (2017). Temporomandibular Joint Disorders as a Cause of Aural Fullness. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, 10(3), pp.236–240. doi: https://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2016.01039.
[vi] Peng, Y. (2017). Temporomandibular Joint Disorders as a Cause of Aural Fullness. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, 10(3), pp.236–240. doi: https://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2016.01039.
[vii] Goldman, L. (2024). Can Temporomandibular Joint Problems Cause Facial Swelling? [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/tmj-swelling#face-swelling [Accessed 14 Jan. 2025].
[viii] Çebi, A.T. (2020). Presence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related hearing loss in temporomandibular disorders. CRANIO®, pp.1–5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/08869634.2020.1829290.
[ix] Hearing Link (2016). Facts about deafness & hearing loss – Hearing Link. [online] Hearing Link. Available at: https://www.hearinglink.org/your-hearing/about-hearing/facts-about-deafness-hearing-loss/.
[x] Hearing Link (2016). Facts about deafness & hearing loss – Hearing Link. [online] Hearing Link. Available at: https://www.hearinglink.org/your-hearing/about-hearing/facts-about-deafness-hearing-loss/.