Q. Can acid reflux worsen tinnitus and ear pain?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Yes, wisdom teeth can cause ear pain and clogged hearing. This is because the jawbone and muscles that are linked to the ear—called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)—are close together, so a problem in one area can affect the other. When wisdom teeth come in at an improper angle or become impacted, it can put pressure on those muscles and nerves that connect back to the TMJ. This tension causes discomfort in both areas leading to pain, tightness, tenderness, clicking sounds or difficulty opening your mouth—all symptoms of TMJ disorder. Clogged hearing is another symptom of this disorder as well because it affects normal auditory function due to irritation and swelling of tissues around your inner ears from all that extra movement from inflamed joints near them. If you're experiencing these symptoms and suspect they may be related to your wisdom teeth coming in, then you should definitely reach out for professional help from a doctor or dentist who specializes in diagnosing and treating temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD).