It is absolutely normal to wonder whether your diet has a negative impact on your ear wax production and what changes you can make in your diet to prevent ear wax build-up. While ear wax is essential for the smooth functioning of the ear and its associated systems, excessive ear wax build-up can be dangerous.

For most people, the main cause of excessive earwax production is an unhealthy and unbalanced diet, increasing the chances of developing issues such as ear blockages and hearing difficulties. Maintaining a balance of essential nutrients and moderating your intake of snacks can improve your overall health and also should reduce the amount of excessive earwax produced.

Here’s a guide to the kind of diet intake that causes ear wax build-up:

Dairy products

Dairy products can potentially trigger excessive production of ear wax. Consuming dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese in high quantities can lead to the excessive production of earwax in your ear canals. This is because dairy foods contain lactose. Dieticians have also noted a link between milk and earwax, but mostly for people who are lactose intolerant. In essence, while lactose isn’t harmful to the body, it can negatively affect those with lactose intolerance as they can experience problems including excessive ear wax. 

Gluten

Many food items including rice, wheat, barley and corn contain gluten. Although these foods are healthy when eaten in moderation, people who have gluten intolerance may have sensitivity to these foods. The naturally occurring gluten found in them can trigger ear wax build-up. It is advisable to consume well-processed gluten which would mean choosing gluten-free snacks as well to lower the chances of excessive ear wax build-up. 

Caffeine

Most people love to start the day with a cup of coffee, well that’s a good thing. The downside however is that caffeine-rich products like coffee can trigger impacted wax. So, if you consume coffee daily, consider having your ears checked by a specialist to get a micro suction ear wax removal procedure. Your doctor may recommend cutting out caffeine foods completely or reducing your consumption.

It is important to avoid foods consuming these trigger foods regularly and worse, in high quantities to prevent ear wax build-up. Research shows that eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon,  sardines and other similar fish can contribute to overall ear health. The goal is to have a healthy and balanced diet as it goes a long way in slowing down the rate of ear wax production.

Another way to stay on top of our ear wax build-up is to get it removed by a specialist through micro-suction. This way, your ear canals remain wax-free and clear, preventing infections and other ear problems.