If you work in a very noisy environment, not wearing ear plugs can damage your ears.
But if you are prone to earwax buildup, over time, earplugs can push the earwax back into your ear canal which can lead to temporary hearing loss or tinnitus.
Ear plugs are safe, but it’s important to ensure that your ears are healthy to avoid complications; you can do this by using ear drops to soften the wax or seeking earwax removal from a specialist.
Ear plugs that aren’t kept clean or left in a sterile environment can gather bacteria, possibly leading to you developing an ear infection.
It’s important to regularly clean your ear plugs and invest in a protective case to ward away bacteria.