Ringing, buzzing, or throbbing in the ears can be frustrating, especially when no clear cause is found. In the video above, Dr. Jigar Gandhi and his guest discuss one possibility that is often overlooked: hidden infections in the jaw. They also talk about why imaging and lab testing should come before other treatments, and how testing tissue from the jaw has sometimes revealed infections patients did not know they had, including undiagnosed Lyme disease.

This article explains what tinnitus is, how hidden jaw infections may be connected, and how Dr. Gandhi uses cone beam imaging and laboratory testing to look deeper.

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of sound, such as ringing, buzzing, hissing, or throbbing, when no outside sound is present. It is common and can range from mildly annoying to disruptive to sleep and concentration.

Tinnitus has many possible causes, including noise exposure, age-related hearing loss, earwax buildup, jaw joint (TMJ) problems, certain medications, and circulation issues. Anyone with new or persistent tinnitus should be evaluated by a physician or audiologist. For some patients, though, a dental source is part of the picture and worth investigating.

Can Hidden Jaw Infections Be Linked to Tinnitus?

A Guest's Personal Experience

In the video, Dr. Gandhi's guest shares that he experienced throbbing in his ears along with other symptoms. In his view, hidden infections in the jaw are a frequent and underrecognized contributor to tinnitus, and he also mentions mercury as a possible factor. These are personal observations, and research into how dental infections may relate to ear symptoms is still developing.

Why the Jaw and Ears Are Connected

The jaw, teeth, and ears sit close together and share nerve pathways. This is why a problem in the back teeth or jaw can sometimes be felt as pain or pressure in the ear. Chronic, low-grade infection in the jawbone may also contribute to ongoing inflammation in the area. Because these infections often cause no tooth pain, they can be missed for years.

What Are Cavitations?

Cavitations are areas of jawbone that did not heal properly, most often at old extraction sites such as where wisdom teeth were removed. They may contain compromised or infected tissue while appearing normal on standard dental X-rays. To learn how cavitations are found and treated, read our article on cavitation surgery patient stories.

Why Imaging and Clearing Infection Come First

Start With a Cone Beam CT

The guest's advice in the video is to get a cone beam scan first and foremost. A 3D cone beam CT gives a detailed view of the jawbone, tooth roots, and surrounding structures, and can reveal areas that standard two-dimensional X-rays may miss. Dr. Gandhi uses this imaging to look for hidden infections before recommending treatment.

Why Laser Treatments Should Wait

Laser-based procedures are sometimes used to help with tinnitus. Dr. Gandhi agrees a laser can help, but explains that it can also agitate an area if an underlying infection is still present. That is why the guidance in the video is to clear the cavitation first, then consider other therapies.

What Lab Testing Can Reveal

Testing Tissue From the Jaw

When Dr. Gandhi removes tissue from an infected area, it can be sent to a specialty lab such as DNA Connections for analysis. These labs use PCR testing, which looks for the genetic material of specific microorganisms, to identify what is present in the sample.

Undiagnosed Lyme Disease and Other Findings

Dr. Gandhi shares that lab testing has, at times, identified Lyme disease in patients who had never been diagnosed with it. Results may also show other organisms, including parasites. Findings like these can give patients and their physicians useful information to guide next steps in care. Any positive result should be reviewed with the patient's physician.

The Tooth & Body Approach

Dr. Gandhi's approach is to look deeper, test, and investigate rather than ignore the signs. That includes 3D cone beam CT imaging, a thorough health history, careful cavitation surgery when it is needed, and laboratory testing of removed tissue. For patients with mercury fillings, Tooth & Body offers safe amalgam removal using the SMART protocol. Healing is supported with biological therapies such as platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), ozone therapy, red light laser, and the Bone Healing Protocol.