auto accident = tooth & lower lip numbness

11-11-2003, 05:48 PM

Hi! I'm a newbie to this board. I am a thirty-something female.
I was in an auto accident 13 days ago and as a result have multiple problems. I am so confused and hope to find some help here.

I was rearended and suffered whiplash. My puzzling symptoms include constant nausea, numbness of my lower lip and the skin beneath it and my right front tooth and sometimes some lower left teeth (this just developed 2 days ago). I have tingling in these areas when they're not numb. Other problems include: pressure and pain in the ear canals, headaches (previously might have had 3 headaches in 30 years), tingling in hands, jaw pain and spasms.
I'm seeing a chiropractor and just had a cervical spine MRI today but don't know the results yet.
My opinion is that it's TMJ damage and some type of facial nerve injury, plus neck injury and related nerves, etc. But I want to know for sure in order to do something to prevent further damage.
I am most worried about the numb teeth - I am afraid the nerve(s) will die and I will have to get root canals and crowns, etc.
Does anyone have a similar personal experience?
Can anyone give me advice on which type of professionals may best help me? suggested tests, therapies? Thank you for any information you can provide.

11-12-2003, 11:36 PM

Is the numbness of your teeth really numbness of the gums around those teeth? Because if so that should not damage the tooth itself. I have total numbness in one of my teeth and it is from repeated oral surgerys and the nerves of my gums were damaged and that is what is causing the numbness...which sounds like it may be the same in your case because you also have lip numbness, you may have just damaged some facical nerves and hopefully at some point they will regenerate, mine have started to come back...but it has been abut 2 years since the nerves were damaged. It takes time, good luck

11-13-2003, 07:47 AM

Hi, not from an auto accident but different kind; I did have the problem of top numb teeth before. The numbness went away on it's own. About a year and a half AFTER the initial injury I went to the dentist for routine exam and such and it turns out the canal in that tooth (as found on x-ray) had died. The tooth was sturdy but slowly losing color of white (it probably would have been another 2-5 years before the non-white dying color was noticeable). If you have good dental insurance (or can get some) they were able to replace a couple of the dead front teeth with caps that went over the original after they trimmed them down. No root canal was necessary because the tooth was dead. After putting the final on they didn't even need to numb me up - no pain since it was at the root already. A neighbor of mine who is a hygenist for living couldn't even tell the difference between the real teeth and capped ones which are in the front.

You other symptoms sound like you could have a concussion.. or the ear symptoms could be that you are conincidentally coming down with a cold or something. At least you're getting care but anyways, that's my 2¢ from personal experience.

11-14-2003, 07:53 PM

Thanks for the reply; some teeth are tingling and some are numb. The gum feels normal. I'm having it all checked out next week. But 2 years! I had no idea it might take that long! I thought it would be something that could be fixed soon. Good luck with your nerve problems too!

auto accident = tooth & lower lip numbness

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