Jaws go numb: 9 reasons for the disease

May 15, 2020

If the lower or upper jaw becomes numb, this may be a natural reaction of the body, for example, to medical intervention, or it may indicate various problems that require immediate medical attention. In today's article by the editors of the UltraSmile.ru portal, we propose to analyze in detail the main reasons why numbness and discomfort occurs in the lower part of the face.

There can be several reasons for jaw numbness

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

Diagnostics

The therapist listens to the patient’s complaints, examines the oral cavity and finds out how long the lower and upper lips have been numb and what is accompanied by the pathological symptoms.

The neurologist determines the sensitivity of the skin, measures the arterial phenomenon, examines the pupils of the eyes and prescribes:

general blood and urine analysis;
blood sugar test;
chemical and toxicological blood test;
Ultrasound of internal organs;
X-ray of the spine;
electrocardiogram;
MRI or CT scan of the brain.

To identify neurological diseases at an early stage, the patient is offered an electromyography.
The procedure determines the condition of the peripheral nerves and the frequency of their contractions. During a diagnostic test, a doctor places electrodes on a person's body. Through them signals are sent to the nerve endings. The reaction is recorded by an electromyograph and recorded on paper.

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!

Tactics and treatment regimens

The organization of the therapeutic process depends on the causative factors that caused uncontrolled twitching of the lower lip. The treatment regimen is formed by the doctor based on the results of laboratory and instrumental examination of the patient.

Nervous tic of the lower lip

Treatment of nervous tics of the lower lip involves the use of the following therapeutic methods:

creation of an individual zone of psycho-emotional comfort;
a course of taking medications from the pharmacological group of nootropic drugs to improve the functions of the central nervous system and peripheral nerve endings (Glycine, Piracetam, Mildronate);
communication with a psychotherapist who will help get rid of the psychological causes of tics;
maintaining a balance between physical, psycho-emotional stress and proper rest;
exclusion of stressful situations.

Therapy for a nervous tic of the lower lip is a long process that lasts from 1 to 6 months. To achieve a positive result, the patient must use all of the above treatment methods.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

The lower lip twitches (the causes of facial tremor are associated with dysfunction of the central nervous system) in men and women whose bodies are depleted by chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treatment of this disease requires compliance with the following rules:

take a course of therapeutic massage of all parts of the musculoskeletal system;
sleep at least 6-8 hours a day;
avoid overworking the body;
during operation every 60 minutes. take breaks lasting 10-15 minutes;
during the year, rest at least 2 times for 2 weeks;
visit the pool at least once every 7 days;
on weekends, provide the body with proper rest without doing household chores or part-time work;
maintain a daily routine;
eat high-quality and biologically healthy foods rich in nutrients (fish, rabbit meat, veal, cereals, fruits, dairy products).

Chronic fatigue syndrome is dangerous not only due to the occurrence of nervous tics of the lower lip, but also to a critical decrease in the immune system. The human body becomes vulnerable to most viral and bacterial infections.

Emotional disorders

Patients with emotional personality disorders experience unstable mood, increased impulsivity, imbalance, and low levels of self-control.

To treat such mental conditions, the following normothymic and antipsychotic drugs are used:

Risperidone

lithium-based medicines;
Lamotrigine;
Carbamazepine;
Asenapine;
Clozapine;
Risperidone;
Sulpiride.

The disadvantage of therapy with the above drugs is the large number of side effects that these drugs cause.

The dosage regimen for antipsychotic and normotimic medications is determined individually by the doctor, depending on the psycho-emotional state of the patient. A psychiatrist must be involved in the treatment process.

Disorders of facial innervation

Disorders of facial innervation can be caused by diseases of the central nervous system or previous traumatic brain injuries.

In this case, the following treatment regimen is used:

massage of areas of facial tissue where peripheral nerves responsible for muscle functions pass;
injection of potent anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, if the innervation disorder is caused by inflammatory damage to the nerve endings);
taking antibacterial drugs by patients whose central nervous system disease is caused by infectious microorganisms;
performing a neurosurgical operation to restore normal functioning of brain centers.

Patients with impaired facial innervation caused by a brain tumor are prescribed a course of treatment with chemicals and cytostatic agents. If there are direct medical indications, the extraneous tumor is removed.

Facial nerve neurosis

Treatment for facial nerve neurosis is carried out in the day hospital of the neurological department of the hospital.

In this case, the following treatment tactics are used:

injection of hormonal drugs with anti-inflammatory properties;
massage of muscle tissue in the area of which the peripheral nerve passes;
physiotherapy of the facial area and physical therapy.

For patients with vasoneural conflict of the facial nerve in the area of the cerebellopontine ganglion, neurosurgical surgery is indicated. At all stages of treatment of this neurosis, the patient is required to comply with prevention standards. The patient should not allow the body to become hypothermic, drink alcohol, and should also avoid stressful situations.

Migraine

Treatment of migraine, which has caused a tic of the lower lip, is carried out using drugs with analgesic properties.

In this case, the neurologist prescribes the following medications:

Ibuprofen;
Indomethacin;
Sumatriptan;

Sumatriptan - a triptan for headaches and migraines
Paracetamol;
Eletriptan.

In most cases, migraine is just one symptom of an existing disease of the central or peripheral nervous system. Therefore, the task of the attending physician is not only to normalize the patient’s well-being, but also to eliminate the main factors that provoked uncontrolled twitching of the lower lip and migraine attacks.

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.

Inflammation and neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve

The branches of the trigeminal nerve cover almost the entire face, so it is quite natural that even after damage or inflammation of a limited area, discomfort can spread to the entire head, but most often it is the lower jaw that becomes numb.

Numbness of the lower jaw and chin due to inflammation or damage to the trigeminal nerve is often accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms: it is difficult to open the mouth, talk, chew and even swallow food, the sensitivity of the lips and tongue disappears, and uncontrolled salivation appears.

Unpleasant sensations are caused by inflammation of the ternary nerve

The cause of trigeminal neuralgia can be not only dental treatment2 and surgical intervention in the maxillofacial area. There are many other factors. Read about the most common of them, as well as about methods of treating pathology here.

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

Numb hands

If part of an arm or leg is numb, the cause may be a herniated disc, thoracic outlet syndrome, a tumor that presses on the nerve plexus, brachial plexitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and common peroneal nerve compression syndrome.

With carpal tunnel syndrome, the wrist or hand (thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger) becomes numb or painful. This usually happens to those who work a lot at the computer, knit, drive a car for a long time, etc. Why do my arms and legs go numb? The median nerve, which passes to the hand through a “tunnel” (carpal tunnel) of three bones and ligaments, is pinched. Compression of the median nerve below the elbow and above the wrist causes numbness not only in this area, but also around the hand at the base of the thumb. This happens if, for example, the tendon, which is located next to the median nerve, is irritated and therefore enlarged.

Swelling due to injury, fluid retention, pregnancy, and rheumatoid arthritis can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. But the condition usually develops in those whose carpal tunnel is initially narrower than most people's. If there is a need for pain relief, conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen) can be used. It is usually recommended to reduce the movements that provoke symptoms and apply a splint for a while. If the pain and/or numbness does not go away, surgery may be required.

With brachial plexitis, not only the shoulder, as the name implies, can become numb, but also the entire arm and hand. The mechanism of this disease is as follows: the brachial plexus, from which the nerves go to both arms, is compressed or damaged. Brachial plexitis can be a consequence of a lung tumor, radiation therapy, or birth trauma. Numbness is not its only symptom; often such patients have severe shoulder pain, the pain is replaced by weakness. Symptoms usually resolve with anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroids.

Tingling and numbness in the leg

In common peroneal nerve compression syndrome, numbness or tingling is felt in the top of the foot or inner leg. The peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve and supplies the toes, feet, and legs. A knee injury, a broken fibula, a tight shin cast, and even frequent crossing of the legs can lead to this syndrome. Treatment for numbness involves eliminating the cause. But sometimes a corticosteroid injection may be needed to reduce the swelling, and in some cases surgery is performed.

Numbness of fingers

The cause of thoracic outlet syndrome is that the blood vessels and nerves between the collarbone and the first rib are compressed. As a result, the shoulder and neck hurt, and the fingers feel numb. This can happen due to a car accident, sports injury, or during pregnancy. The syndrome, fortunately, occurs rarely - in 1 person out of a million. Usually, taking painkillers is enough to control symptoms.

Severe calcium deficiency may cause numbness in the toes and hands, abnormal heart rhythm, and seizures. This is a fairly rare condition, the cause of which must be determined by a doctor.

Due to edema, tumors, injuries, etc. Other nerves in the arm may also be compressed, resulting in specific symptoms:

Compression of the ulnar nerve in the wrist area leads to numbness of the little finger, part of the ring finger and part of the hand on the little finger side;
Compression of the ulnar nerve in the elbow area leads to both these symptoms and numbness in the elbow area;
Compression of the radial nerve in the forearm can cause numbness in the thumb and index finger.

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.

Causes of numb lips

A sensitivity disorder manifested by numbness and tingling is called paresthesia.

A common cause of pathology affecting the lips is mechanical pressure or shock that disrupts blood circulation and impairs the transmission of nerve impulses. This causes the skin to turn blue, become insensitive, and cause swelling and burning in the affected area.
Due to anesthesia, bleeding, swelling of the gums, or if the doctor mistakenly touched a nerve located near the root, the chin and lower and upper lips become numb after tooth extraction.
Mild numbness occurs when you regularly drink alcohol in large doses. Alcohol causes intoxication, affecting the peripheral nervous system and disrupting metabolism.
Lips and tongue become numb after smoking. The reaction manifests itself to low-quality tobacco and in response to intoxication of the body with nicotine. Symptoms develop when poisoned by any toxins.
The transmission of impulses from the peripheral nerves responsible for sensitivity decreases with a lack of vitamins. The person feels tingling and numbness in the lower lip. With severe vitamin deficiency, wounds form around the mouth, the skin dries and peels. Symptoms are provoked by a lack of vitamins B1, B6, B2.
Twitching lips during severe headaches, panic attacks. The skin on the temples pulsates, the eye twitches, the mouth dries out. Numbness is caused by glossalgia, which is accompanied by a burning sensation in the mouth.
Sometimes lip sensitivity decreases during pregnancy. This is due to changes in the body, surges in blood pressure and toxicosis in the later stages.

Important!
Numbness of the face and lips is the main symptom of facial neuritis. The appearance of pathology is promoted by otitis media, infectious and colds. Damage to the facial nerve is accompanied by:

violation of facial expressions;
pain behind the ear on the left or right side;
dry mouth;
dilated pupils;
profuse lacrimation.

Insensibility of the lips and left or right hand is a worrying symptom during a stroke.

Impaired blood flow in the brain provokes:

drooping eyelids, corners of the mouth;
paralysis of facial muscles;
deterioration of mobility and coordination;

Numbness of the cheeks and lips may indicate a hypertensive crisis. High blood pressure increases vascular spasm, impairs blood circulation and negatively affects the functioning of the nervous system.

Associated signs of the disease are:

general weakness;
nausea;
dizziness;
redness of the skin;
noise in ears.

If the skin around the mouth is swollen, the lips are numb, and there is a tingling sensation in the middle - this is a sign of an allergy that occurs to:

medicines;
household chemicals;
dust;
flower pollen;
products;
cosmetical tools.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the nerves responsible for facial expressions are pinched. The person feels dizzy, his mouth, lips and fingertips go numb.

Lack of insulin in the body causes a critical decrease in blood glucose levels.

Hypoglycemia develops, causing:

numbness of the upper lip;
hand tremors;
strong feeling of hunger;
irritability;
excessive sweating.

Failure of protein and lipid metabolism leads to a decrease in the elasticity of arteries and veins.
Atherosclerosis develops, cholesterol plaques form in the vessels, and blood flow is disrupted. This causes the upper lip to go numb, causing an aneurysm and coronary heart disease. Paresthesia manifests itself when the immune system fails, mental and physical stress, or tumor lesions of the central nervous system. The right side of the lips goes numb in the early stages of multiple sclerosis. The disease destroys nerve fibers, causes tingling in the fingers, double vision and leads to neurological disability.

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

Osmanova Z.Kh., Salikhova A.A. Possible postoperative complications when using dental implants // Bulletin of medical Internet conferences. – 2022.
Marine M.T. [and others] Neuropathy of the trigeminal nerve after surgical interventions in the maxillofacial region // Nervous diseases. – 2022.

Consulting specialist

Orlova Elena Vladimirovna

Doctor rating: 9.5 out of 10 (2) Specialization: Dentist-therapist Experience: 33 years

When should you see a doctor?

In case of numbness, you should consult a doctor immediately if:

numbness in the genital area and anus is accompanied by back pain and uncontrollable urination/defecation;
the person’s consciousness is impaired to the point of loss of consciousness;
numbness significantly complicates normal life;
numbness appeared after a head, neck or back injury;
numbness is accompanied by slow speech, vision problems, difficulty walking, or weakness;
the entire limb became numb;
numbness is accompanied by paralysis or weakness - it is impossible to move the limb;
numbness is accompanied by a sudden and severe headache;
significant numbness occurred suddenly.

If you have numbness, you should consult a doctor if:

it is impossible to explain the cause of numbness;
there is pain in the neck, forearm or fingers;
the urge to urinate occurs more frequently;
numbness in the legs increases when walking;
a rash appeared;
not only numbness occurred, but also dizziness, muscle spasms or other unusual symptoms;
the numb area gradually increases in size;
numbness is felt in the limbs on both sides.

How is the diagnosis made?

Usually, with numbness, a neurological examination and history taking will provide the doctor with a lot of information, and only then can a preliminary diagnosis be made. But for a final decision, it is often necessary to do an x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, electromyography or blood tests.

How to get rid of unpleasant feelings?

Of course, there is no universal way to get rid of numbness, regardless of the cause of this condition. You need to act based on what exactly triggered the numbness. For example, a set of exercises often helps with carpal tunnel syndrome. If numbness is associated with diabetes, then you can only more carefully monitor your blood sugar levels. Vitamin B12 deficiency is corrected with therapeutic doses of appropriate medications.

Why can't you ignore numbness? The fact is that a person can damage a numb part of the body and not notice it. Therefore, even if there are no additional serious symptoms indicating a stroke or other serious condition, it is still worth contacting a neurologist with numbness.

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

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