Worried About Dental Procedures Impacting Tinnitus — Deep Cleaning, Drilling — Any Advice for Me?

[Creature_Music]

I'm in a huge pile or stress at the moment and my anxiety is out the roof. Which generally isn't helping my ringing either.

Yesterday I went to the dentist for my regular cleaning, mind you I am not the best when it comes to dental hygiene, need to do better about it now.

But from what they found I now have to get a deep cleaning done, as well as 12... YES 12 cavities filled.

I am beyond concerned and worried about these procedures for the simple fact that I don't want my tinnitus to suddenly spike and get worse.

Over the time I've had it since September it's been slowly getting quieter at days, and some days going back to a little louder. Which I am feeling good about since it's nice to have a few good days.

But I don't know how I'm gonna go about this. I don't know enough about deep cleaning to know if they use any drills or that I can ask them not to.

But what I do know is that fillings do use the drill, and I've read that those are a big thumbs down for tinnitus sufferers.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can go about this?

Obviously I'd like to stretch appointments out and get maybe one or two done a day?

But what can I do about the drilling?

At this point I feel like I'm screwed and have to impact my tinnitus and throw myself in deeper water, to just have to take care of my teeth.

 

[Michael B]

Everyone in my dentist's office knows of my tinnitus and they're quite happy to accommodate me. They have several Bose headphones with music available for use during procedures. I've used them and they've helped but I no longer use headphones so I come to rely on a good pair of earplugs.
As far as cleaning, I opted not to have the high speed cleaning but to have them clean manually intend.
You'll be fine if you come prepared.

 

[Red]

Everyone in my dentist's office knows of my tinnitus and they're quite happy to accommodate me. They have several Bose headphones with music available for use during procedures. I've used used them and they've helped but I no longer use headphones so I come to rely on a good pair of earplugs.
As far as cleaning, I opted not to have the high speed cleaning but to have them clean manually intend.
You'll be fine if you come prepared.

Earplugs? Wouldn't that make drilling louder through occlusion effect?

Previous threads mention laser drill if possible or drilling on and off for 10 seconds. Drill 10 seconds, rest 10 seconds.
And to deny ultrasonic cleaning to do manual instead.

 

[Jack Straw]

I'm in a huge pile or stress at the moment and my anxiety is out the roof. Which generally isn't helping my ringing either.

Yesterday I went to the dentist for my regular cleaning, mind you I am not the best when it comes to dental hygiene, need to do better about it now.

But from what they found I now have to get a deep cleaning done, as well as 12... YES 12 cavities filled.

I am beyond concerned and worried about these procedures for the simple fact that I don't want my tinnitus to suddenly spike and get worse.

Over the time I've had it since September it's been slowly getting quieter at days, and some days going back to a little louder. Which I am feeling good about since it's nice to have a few good days.

But I don't know how I'm gonna go about this. I don't know enough about deep cleaning to know if they use any drills or that I can ask them not to.

But what I do know is that fillings do use the drill, and I've read that those are a big thumbs down for tinnitus sufferers.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can go about this?

Obviously I'd like to stretch appointments out and get maybe one or two done a day?

But what can I do about the drilling?

At this point I feel like I'm screwed and have to impact my tinnitus and throw myself in deeper water, to just have to take care of my teeth.

@Bill Bauer has mentioned in other threads that a laser drill for cavities is a lot quieter than the manual drill. Hopefully he can hope in and give you some advice about it. I am interested in this as well because I also have to go in for a cleaning / dental work very soon.

Bill did you wear ear plugs for the laser treatment? Did it sound louder with ear plugs?

 

[Michael B]

According to WebMD
Lasers have been used in dentistry since 1994 to treat a number of dental problems. Yet, despite FDA approval, no laser system has received the American Dental Association's (ADA) Seal of Acceptance as an alternative to more traditional treatment. That seal assures dentists that the product or device meets ADA standards of safety and efficacy, among other things. The ADA, however, states that it is cautiously optimistic about the role of laser technology in the field of dentistry.

 

[Jack Straw]

According to WebMD
Lasers have been used in dentistry since 1994 to treat a number of dental problems. Yet, despite FDA approval, no laser system has received the American Dental Association's (ADA) Seal of Acceptance as an alternative to more traditional treatment. That seal assures dentists that the product or device meets ADA standards of safety and efficacy, among other things. The ADA, however, states that it is cautiously optimistic about the role of laser technology in the field of dentistry.

I have a family member that is a dentist and is very active in the dentist community. Me personally knowing him, I doubt he would use something that doesn't have some type of science backing to it. Again, just my anecdotal two cents.

Also, just because an association doesn't accept something doesn't mean that it is bad or not worth looking into. Take for instance the American Tinnitus Association. They want nothing to do with regenerative hearing medicine or Neuromod, who is a company that literally has a device that reduces tinnitus. Sometimes the associations don't have the patient's best interest in mind or have alternative motives.

I will agree that it is strange that the ADA didn't approve of laser treatments officially. There are many dentists that use them and my family member even said that more dentists are making the switch.

 

[Michael B]

Earplugs? Wouldn't that make drilling louder through occlusion effect?

Good question. Personally doesn't seem to affect me as much as listening to a drill.

 

[abbynormal]

I'm in a huge pile or stress at the moment and my anxiety is out the roof. Which generally isn't helping my ringing either.

Yesterday I went to the dentist for my regular cleaning, mind you I am not the best when it comes to dental hygiene, need to do better about it now.

But from what they found I now have to get a deep cleaning done, as well as 12... YES 12 cavities filled.

I am beyond concerned and worried about these procedures for the simple fact that I don't want my tinnitus to suddenly spike and get worse.

Over the time I've had it since September it's been slowly getting quieter at days, and some days going back to a little louder. Which I am feeling good about since it's nice to have a few good days.

But I don't know how I'm gonna go about this. I don't know enough about deep cleaning to know if they use any drills or that I can ask them not to.

But what I do know is that fillings do use the drill, and I've read that those are a big thumbs down for tinnitus sufferers.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can go about this?

Obviously I'd like to stretch appointments out and get maybe one or two done a day?

But what can I do about the drilling?

At this point I feel like I'm screwed and have to impact my tinnitus and throw myself in deeper water, to just have to take care of my teeth.

I recently went to the dentist, and although I thought I would have to have a filling removed and replaced by a new one the instructor took a look (I was at the UCSF Dental School) and saw it wasn't necessary. But, nowadays, they have a tool that sounds like a drill, to clean the teeth. It was yuck, but didn't hurt. It did not make my T worse though. I know everyone is different, and has T for different reasons. Mine is loud and spikes for some reasons I haven't figured out yet, but nothing unusual after the cleaning.

I just now realized this is a few months old post from the OP. Oh well, maybe my experience will help someone else.

Just want to say, loud sounds, car back-firing, too loud of music, TV volume seemingly turning itself up in parts of movies etc. scare the crud out of me because I "think" it will make my T worse. It doesn't seem to work that way for me. I'm not sure why I have tinnitus, but if I knew, maybe I could figure out how to fix it Most of the time I'm pretty tough about it, but other days I just want to cry, and do, in frustration. But when I do, it can make it worse so I just turn on my sound machine/app on my phone and only turn it up til it covers the ringing. Sorry, my mind wandered

 

[Bill Bauer]

@Bill Bauer has mentioned in other threads that a laser drill for cavities is a lot quieter than the manual drill.

Here is a link to a post where I had described my experiences
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/dentist-laser-vs-ordinary.2791/#post-272983

Bill did you wear ear plugs for the laser treatment? Did it sound louder with ear plugs?

If I remember correctly, I had only Peltor muffs on (as I was concerned about the occlusion effect). The occlusion effect can still happen when one wears earmuffs, but it wasn't a big problem when the laser was used on me. The laser sounded a little quieter when I wore my muffs.

 

[Jack Straw]

Here is a link to a post where I had described my experiences
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/dentist-laser-vs-ordinary.2791/#post-272983

If I remember correctly, I had only Peltor muffs on (as I was concerned about the occlusion effect). The occlusion effect can still happen when one wears earmuffs, but it wasn't a big problem when the laser was used on me. The laser sounded a little quieter when I wore my muffs.

Do you think the noise level of the laser would be concerning without protection?

 

[coffee_girl]

I didn't have issues when i had my cavities filled, make sure to take NAC and don't wear ear phones. Try to stretch them out 2 weeks at a time. Do 1 first then after that if you are comfortable move up to two or even three teeth per visit. It did not spike my T, and yes it is nerve wrecking but try to remain strong and try not to allow fear to overwhelm you too much. Clear communication with your dentist is important, and don't go to one that seems apathetic.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Do you think the noise level of the laser would be concerning without protection?

It would Probably be ok (depending on how sensitive one's ears are to shocks). My policy has been to always protect my ears from the noise that I can easily protect them from.

 

[Jack Straw]

It would Probably be ok (depending on how sensitive one's ears are to shocks). My policy has been to always protect my ears from the noise that I can easily protect them from.

I will be sure to bring some form of ear protection if it seems too loud. Thank you for your insight. It still amazes me no one has dealt with laser drills on this forum.

 

[RCP1]

If I went to the dentist now it would be game over... Anything wrong with a tooth and its' getting pulled from now on. Until I get my ear cut that is then I can get them all implanted back in.