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Dentists and Hearing Loss

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Study Investigates Hearing Loss and High Speed Dental Tools
Article Tools» [E-Mail This Article](javascript:void(window.open(‘emailarticle.php?cmag=HR&s=n&p=72’,‘’,‘scrollbars=no,top=20,left=20,width=590,height=530’)))» [Write the Editor](javascript:void(window.open(‘writetheeditor.php?cmag=HR’,‘’,‘scrollbars=no,top=20,left=20,width=590,height=530’)))» Print This Article708-25-2006

After 36 years in private dental practice, Fred Kreutzer, DMD, began struggling to hear. It’s been 5 years since he retired from his practice and Kreutzer now wears hearing aids in both ears.

Although he has a family history of hearing loss, he believes the high-speed tools he worked with 8 hours a day for so many years may have played a role in his hearing troubles.

“I think if you listen to any high-pitched noise for any length of time, it will get to you eventually,” says Kreutzer, an assistant professor in operative dentistry at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Dentistry. “But in my case, with a family history of hearing loss, it may be hereditary, as well.”

Whether high-speed dental tools contribute to long-term hearing loss is the subject of a study currently under way in the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic and the School of Dentistry. According to one of the study’s leaders, Robert Folmer, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and chief of clinical services at the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic, Oregon Hearing Research Center, published research is mixed about whether high-speed dental tools contribute to noise-induced hearing loss over time.

“Over the years, we have seen dentists in the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic who were convinced that long-term exposure to sound from high-speed hand pieces contributed to their high-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus,” Folmer says. “These anecdotes, in combination with the research being divided about high-speed hand pieces playing a role in hearing loss, prompted our study. We hope the study is a good first step toward scientific evidence behind the anecdotes we’ve been hearing.”

Most of the current high-speed hand pieces, such as high-speed drills and scalers used by dental professionals, are between 90 to 100 decibels, Folmer says. That’s the equivalent of a gas lawnmower or other power tools, which are loud enough to cause hearing loss over time. Hand pieces have gotten quieter over the years with the advent of modern technology, however, very few dental professionals or students interviewed for the study so far wear earplugs to protect themselves from this noise. None of the 54 dental schools nationally are known to require dental students to wear ear protection while treating patients.

[SOURCE: OHSU, August 14, 2006]

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I have occupational hearing loss perhaps overlayed with some childhood mild loss. I have a slight decline at 1000hz and then a dip or notch from 2000hz to 4000hz with a small recovery at 8000hz, along with boarderline or near normal in the lower frequencies…
I worked in dentistry as a dental assistant and dental hygienist from 1973 to 1984 Full Time and then part time again from 1988-1992…
I believe there is a relationship with some of my hearing loss and the high speed handpiece (dental drill) and ultrasonic scalers and other ultrasonic equipment.
I have ’s and know of other dental professionals who have had difficulty as well.
Thought I would add my personal story “here”…
Susan :slight_smile:

I also recently wrote an article about how noisy dental equipment affects dentists. A study has identified dentists as being at risk of suffering noise induced hearing loss in the workplace.

I came across a dentist with hearing loss:

I found a hearing notch in one ear … high frequency … probably due to the air drill.

However … I found ANOTHER notch in the OTHER ear … at a lower frequency.

After a lot of detective work we identified it as probably due to the COMPRESSOR sitting on a shelf on that side.

In reply to @Venster

@Venster said:

I also recently wrote an article about how noisy dental equipment affects dentists. A study has identified dentists as being at risk of suffering noise induced hearing loss in the workplace.

the new equipment is it safer?

In reply to @cjsmom44

The notch that you speak of around 4-6KHz is what we call the noise notch, and it is typically because of prolonged exposure to high pitched noises. The ear canal actually amplifies sounds around this range, which is why it is so important to wear ear plugs. Unfortunately for you, the damage is already done, but fortunately there are many new technologies out there that you would be a perfect candidate for ( hearing aids) that would probably be of great benefit to you.

My dentist had several years prior to his retirement. He practiced Dentistry for 35 years.

very interesting article.i am reading in medical and hope get dental section after completing 5 years course.i am on the way of hearing loose.thanks admin for article

The decibel level is probably much higher for the patient as the drill / instrumentation noise is directly conducted to the patients’ ears via bone conduction.

Edited

But the potential for damage comes from the dentistry professionals being exposed to high noise levels over a long period of time, not once or twice like a patient.

dr.amy

@dr.amy said:

But the potential for damage comes from the dentistry professionals being exposed to high noise levels over a long period of time, not once or twice like a patient.

dr.amy

Quite, it’s the prolonged exposure that does it. I thought that dentists were also at risk from the Ototoxicity of some of the meaterials they handled, some of the anaesthetics and other drugs too.

Very interesting article. Not that one point shows correlation but my grandfather was a dentist and suffered from hearing loss. He even told me that was one of his worries when he started.

too bad they can’t come up with a ear piece that changes the way the ear picks up certain sounds so as to reduce high frequency yet allow normal conversation to take place.

earplugs not very effective in an environment where communication needs to be done frequently

kind of like a second eardrum or ear canal that actually alters or blocks high frequency.

Very interesting thread.

I saw an article a while ago that compared the hearing levels of dentists and doctors. Dentists had poorer hearing and it was decided that it was due to the drilling noise. I never believed that! The drills aren’t THAT loud. The largest contributing factor by far for a HF between these two groups has to be mercury vapour due to the drilling process of amalgams. At the very least it should have been considered in ths study.

Before you start thinking this is ‘nutty’ how about the study on, I think, 40 year old women which showed that the more amalgam fillings they have (breathe a tiny amount of vapour day by day) the greater the HF loss. If exposure continues for even longer (or at greater levels as in dentists), couldn’t it start affecting speech frequencies because ototoxicity works from high to low frequencies?

L ear normal (lucky)
R 80s

@Janetta said:

Very interesting thread.

I saw an article a while ago that compared the hearing levels of dentists and doctors. Dentists had poorer hearing and it was decided that it was due to the drilling noise. I never believed that! The drills aren’t THAT loud. The largest contributing factor by far for a HF SNHL between these two groups has to be mercury vapour due to the drilling process of amalgams. At the very least it should have been considered in ths study.

Before you start thinking this is ‘nutty’ how about the study on, I think, 40 year old women which showed that the more amalgam fillings they have (breathe a tiny amount of vapour day by day) the greater the HF loss. If exposure continues for even longer (or at greater levels as in dentists), couldn’t it start affecting speech frequencies because ototoxicity works from high to low frequencies?

L ear normal (lucky)
R 80s

Why not?

Exposure is cumulative, not instantaneous and the levels can be high.

I agree there could be other sources though: dentists have lots of ototoxic substances in their daily lives. The arsenal of drugs, including amino-glycoside antibiotics, treatment polymers and anaesthetics all have potential issues.

From the patient`s point of view!

About 48 hours after having a difficult front upper right tooth extracted, I suddenly lost my hearing on the right. That was almost seven years ago, and it hasn`t come back….

Anyone know of a connection between the two?

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