9 Most Common Reasons Why Your Jaws Go Numb

1. Physiological causes of lip numbness
2. Dental causes of numb lips
3. Numb lips due to damage or inflammation of the trigeminal nerve
4. Numbness due to migraine with aura
5. Numb lips due to stroke
6. Numb lips due to diabetes
7. Numb lips due to allergies
8. Shingles
9. Neuroses and multiple sclerosis
10. Anemia
11. Diagnosis and treatment

Numbness of the lips is a condition in which tissue sensitivity decreases or disappears.
This process may be accompanied by tingling or other sensations. Numbness of the lips occurs for physiological reasons and is one of the symptoms of a certain pathology. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the frequency of occurrence and duration of this condition, its spread to other parts of the face and body. Lips may go numb in people who suffer from neurological and dental diseases, diabetes, anemia, allergies and a number of other diseases. If the symptom occurs frequently, an examination by a dentist and neurologist is recommended to determine the exact cause of the numbness.

Physiological causes of lip numbness

Tissue sensitivity may decrease upon contact with very hot or cold food or drinks. This happens when a person eats ice cream, drinks tea or coffee that is too hot, or eats too spicy food. A similar phenomenon is observed outside in cold weather. The skin of the lips becomes chapped, cracks appear, and sensitivity decreases. Physiological numbness in most cases does not cause harm to health. As soon as contact with the irritant ceases, tissue sensitivity is restored.

To avoid the negative consequences of low-temperature exposure, you should use lipsticks and balms that will protect the skin from chapping and painful cracks.

Another possible cause of tissue numbness is cosmetic and cosmetic procedures. For example, lip products with red pepper extract may cause a slight burning sensation or numbness of the tissues. Some women experience a decrease in lip sensitivity after tattooing if the procedure was performed incorrectly or the wrong lip care was chosen after it.

Prevention

Unfortunately, modern dentistry has not come up with any special preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of dental numbness. This is explained by the fact that the main causes of pathology are usually severe trauma and mechanical damage to the nerve during surgical procedures. However, it is still possible to minimize the risk of the disease; to do this, you should adhere to several rules.

If you need to undergo treatment or install an implant in place of a missing tooth, you need to choose a truly experienced specialist. After surgery, it is very important to give the body time to fully recover, so do not neglect rest. It is also not recommended to stay outside for a long time, especially in severe frost or gusty winds.

Teeth numbness is a rather unpleasant syndrome that can cause a lot of inconvenience to its owner. In most cases, the pathological process requires specialist supervision, as it does not go away on its own. If the problem is not properly addressed, numbness can develop into a more serious dental disease.

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Dental causes of numb lips

When treating teeth and performing some types of cosmetic procedures, local anesthesia is used, which reduces the sensitivity of tissues. During the period of action of the drug, lips, cheeks, and other areas of the face become numb. After completion of the therapeutic manipulations, sensitivity is restored on its own.

Numbness of the lips and tongue is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. This happens with gingivitis, periodontal disease, and purulent lesions. Soft tissues are involved in the pathological process, which causes swelling and impaired receptor sensitivity.

What is Quincke's edema

The German physician Heinrich Irenaeus Quincke first gave a complete description of the disease and suggested the causes of its occurrence in 1882, for which angioedema was named after him.

Quincke's edema, or angioedema, is an acute inflammatory reaction of the body that occurs locally in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The mechanism of appearance is similar to urticaria, the only difference is in deeper tissue damage.

Allergic reactions are one of the immune system's response to foreign proteins. They involve mast cells - one of the types of leukocytes that are able to combine with immunoglobulin proteins Ig E. This leads to a cascade release of biologically active substances - mediators of inflammation. These include histamine, prostaglandins, bradykinin and many others. These substances increase the permeability of blood vessels, reduce their tone, and change the water-salt balance.

The peculiarity of mast cells is that they are not constantly in the blood, like other leukocytes, but are localized in tissues:

• in the skin;
• subcutaneous tissue;
• on mucous membranes;
• in the membranes of internal organs.

Therefore, Quincke's edema has specific manifestations and is observed only on the skin and in places with the most pronounced fiber.

The increased permeability of blood vessels caused by these substances leads to the release of the liquid part of the blood from the vessels. It permeates the local area, which is externally manifested by swelling of the soft tissues. Fluid losses can be significant; blood volume in the vascular bed decreases. As a result, heart function suffers and rhythm disturbances appear. In adults with a predisposition to heart disease, the consequences can be fatal.

Numbness due to migraine with aura

Migraines with aura are attacks of severe headaches, which are preceded by impaired tissue sensitivity, visual disturbances (spots and “floaters” before the eyes), and speech impairment.

Patients with the neurological disease experience temporary numbness of the lips and sometimes half of the face. In some cases, the sensitivity of the upper limb may decrease. In addition to these symptoms, migraine with aura is accompanied by severe headache, which is pressing or throbbing in nature, dizziness and nausea.

Surgical intervention

Some patients report that their upper or lower jaw goes numb after undergoing the following dental procedures:

• tooth extraction: most often, an unpleasant symptom occurs after a complex removal of third molars, accompanied by drilling of the roots, peeling of the soft gum tissue and suturing,
• vestibuloplasty,
• trimming the frenulum of the tongue,
• bone tissue augmentation surgery: sinus lift and bone grafting,
• implantation1: especially when a large number of teeth were restored at once,
• opening and removal of cysts, granulomas, abscesses.

This condition can occur after surgery.
Why does the jaw go numb in the above cases? This may be a normal reaction of the body to nervous and physical stress, surgery, tissue injury and capillary damage. Most often, the symptom is associated with compression (squeezing) of nerve endings due to the formation of physiological edema that occurs after surgical procedures. Normally, the numbness should go away within a week after the intervention, but if it persists longer, it may indicate other problems. Read on!

Numb lips due to diabetes

For patients with diabetes, it is important to control blood glucose levels and avoid sudden increases or decreases in sugar. Lips may become numb due to hypoglycemia - a decrease in glucose levels below 2.8 mmol/l. This happens when you take too high a dose of insulin or violate your diet or skip meals.

In addition to numbness of the lips, the patient experiences severe weakness, tremors in the limbs, rapid heartbeat, and excessive sweating. In severe cases, hypoglycemia leads to loss of consciousness and coma. To eliminate this dangerous condition, you need to eat something sweet with quickly doubling carbohydrates. If the patient is unconscious, intravenous glucose and glucagon injection are required.

Numbness after implantation

One of the most common reasons for decreased sensitivity of the dentition is a violation of the implantation technique, that is, the implantation of an artificial tooth root. The situation can also be aggravated by the introduction of poor-quality anesthesia or nerve damage during an injection with a syringe with an anesthetic composition.

Numbness can also occur when a pin is made of the wrong size and length. As a result, during installation, the doctor accidentally injures the nerve or compresses it too much. Today it is customary to distinguish three stages of tooth numbness due to a doctor’s mistake during an operation to implant an artificial root.

The first stage is neuropraxia. At this stage, there is only slight numbness and decreased sensitivity. Usually all symptoms disappear within a couple of hours after the intervention or after 1-2 days, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body. The second stage is axonotmesis. It is characterized by loss of sensitivity for a month or more. The most difficult case is neurotmesis; numbness can haunt a person for several months.

Diagnosis and treatment

Numbness of the lips itself occurs only for physiological reasons and does not require treatment. In other cases, patients note other signs of pathology: pain, weakness, dizziness, etc. Based on these, the cause of the sensitivity disorder can be determined and a treatment regimen can be selected. To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to consult a therapist, dentist or neurologist.

If inflammatory processes or tumors in the oral cavity are suspected, an x-ray is prescribed.
For neurological pathologies, CT and MRI are used to make a diagnosis. Laboratory tests help confirm or exclude the presence of diabetes and anemia. To get rid of numb lips, you need to eliminate the underlying cause. To do this, patients are prescribed drug therapy that effectively combats the symptoms of the disease. For tumors, fractures or injuries of the jaw, pulpitis, abscesses, and strokes, surgical treatment is required.

Inflammatory process on the root of the tooth

If you are wondering why the lower jaw is numb, then the first thing you need to pay attention to is the condition of the oral cavity. An unpleasant symptom can be caused by dental diseases such as periodontitis and a cyst on the root of the tooth. Then, in addition to discomfort, a slight tingling sensation may be observed in the jaw and chin area, as well as pain when pressing or chewing food on the causative tooth.

The photo shows a cyst

Keeping the head and neck in an unnatural position for a long time

Impaired blood circulation and circulation, compression of nerve endings and, as a result, numbness of the jaws and other areas of the face, can be caused by spending a long time at the computer. Especially when a person props his cheek or chin with his hand. The problem often occurs in people who have an uncomfortable pillow or mattress, sleep in one position for a long time or stay in one position.

After being in an uncomfortable position for a long time, this symptom may occur.

Usually, an unpleasant symptom goes away almost immediately after eliminating the irritating factor or doing a little warm-up.

As you can see, there are many reasons why the upper and lower jaw become numb. Some of them are very dangerous. Therefore, if an unpleasant symptom accompanies you for a long time and appears frequently, then you should consult a doctor. It is best to start the examination with a dentist, but in the future you may need the help of a cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, oncologist, psychotherapist and other specialists.

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prevention

1. Osmanova Z.Kh., Salikhova A.A. Possible postoperative complications when using dental implants // Bulletin of medical Internet conferences. – 2021.
2. Marine M.T. [and others] Neuropathy of the trigeminal nerve after surgical interventions in the maxillofacial region // Nervous diseases. – 2021.

Consulting specialist

Orlova Elena Vladimirovna

Doctor rating: 9.5 out of 10 (2) Specialization: Dentist-therapist Experience: 32 years

Comments

And if not the whole jaw is numb, but only its left half, and everything that is there: part of the lip, part of the cheek, teeth. Sensitivity disappeared completely. What could it be?

Svetlana (05/19/2020 at 15:14) Reply to comment

Dear Svetlana, there can be a lot of reasons, ranging from a pinched nerve, ending with a mini-stroke, multiple sclerosis. If you experience similar symptoms, you need to call an ambulance.

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (05.24.2020 at 09:18) Reply to comment

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Vitamin and mineral deficiency

If the upper or lower jaw, as well as the lips, tongue and chin, go numb, then the reasons for this phenomenon may lie in an acute lack of B vitamins. With their deficiency, the conduction of nerve impulses is disrupted. To replenish the body’s “pantry” with B vitamins, you need to include foods such as nuts, beans, chicken, cheeses and cereals in your diet.

“My lower jaw constantly went numb during pregnancy. I complained to the doctor, but she said that this happens often. Pregnant women have metabolic disorders and slow blood flow, and they are always lacking vitamins and minerals. To correct the situation, I took all sorts of vitamins as prescribed by the doctor, had a massage, and tried to eat right. BUT nothing helped. I already began to suspect some serious abnormalities in my health, I donated blood, but the tests were normal. Everything went away a few weeks after giving birth!”

Alina I., review from babyblog.ru

Lack of vitamins also contributes to jaw numbness

Medical errors made during dental treatment

Dental treatment, and especially procedures that require surgery, are best done by professional doctors. Then the risk of developing any complications will be minimal. If a patient turns to an insufficiently experienced specialist, then there is always the possibility that not everything will go smoothly. For example, numbness of the lower jaw and chin can occur if the dentist damaged the nerve during the administration of anesthesia through a syringe or injured it during the operation. The cause of the pathology can also be incorrect calculation of the dosage of the anesthetic.

The numbing effect also occurs after improper treatment

Read the article on the topic “TOP 30 dental clinics.” In it you will find information about the best clinics in their segment.

The problem may arise after poor-quality treatment and filling of tooth canals. For example, if the doctor moved the filling material beyond the root. Or, during the treatment of deep caries and pulpitis, he left microbes inside the canals, which subsequently provoked root inflammation and periodontitis.

Numb chin syndrome

SOP is a possible cause of chin numbness. Photo: Facebook.

Numb chin syndrome (SCS) is a rare neurological condition [1]. This damages the nerve that controls the chin and lower lip.

A person with SOP may experience tingling or loss of sensation in the chin. Sometimes the chin can become completely numb. Symptoms may also appear on the lips, teeth, or gums.

SOP is usually a symptom of an underlying condition such as cancer. SOP is associated with the following types of cancer:

• lungs' cancer;
• mammary cancer;
• prostate cancer;
• kidney cancer;
• thyroid cancer;
• leukemia;
• malignant melanoma;
• head and neck cancer;
• lymphoma.

The Synthesis study notes [2] that when SOP is a symptom of cancer in adults, breast cancer is diagnosed in 64% of cases and lymphoma in 14%.

Many doctors also view numb chin syndrome as a serious sign that the cancer has returned or spread. Understanding that SOP is associated with metastatic cancer [3] can help clinicians make an early diagnosis.

In some cases, symptoms may also be the result of a benign tumor, which is a growth of non-cancerous cells.

If a person experiences chin numbness, their doctor will likely do a thorough physical examination and ask a lot of questions. Once they have ruled out some other diseases, they can run tests for cancer.

If a person has previously been diagnosed with cancer, doctors will do tests to determine whether the cancer has spread.

Testing for cancer usually includes both blood tests and imaging tests such as CT scans and MRIs.

Serious diseases of the body

If the lower jaw is numb and the symptom either goes away or systematically appears again and again, then this may indicate cervical osteochondrosis. The problem arises due to poor circulation, compression of nerves and blood vessels in the cervical spine. In this case, the jaw, chin, lips become numb, and dizziness becomes a constant companion of the sick person.

Often, facial paresthesia (a sensitivity disorder characterized by tingling and numbness) occurs due to serious illnesses that require immediate medical attention. Let's list them:

• neuritis and neuroses,
• diabetes mellitus: an unpleasant symptom appears due to a decrease in blood glucose levels,
• hypertension,
• epilepsy,
• sinusitis and sinusitis: the upper jaw goes numb,
• meningitis,
• stroke and cerebrovascular accident,
• vegetative-vascular dystonia and anemia,
• oncology: the problem occurs due to compression of the spinal cord or brain by a tumor.

This symptom may be a consequence of a serious illness in the body.