Teeth Tingling: Causes of Tingling and Numb Teeth and When to Worry

The commonest cause is sensitivity. When gum recession or worn enamel exposes dentine, cold air, a sip of water or even a breath can set off a tingling, buzzing feeling. Our guide on treating sensitive teeth at home covers what helps, and the sensitive teeth page explains the causes.

A tooth with early decay or a hairline crack can tingle before it hurts. Teeth that are ground or clenched, often in sleep, feel tender and buzzy on waking. Whitening treatments commonly cause a short tingling or zinging spell, usually settling within a few days.

Sinus congestion can make the upper back teeth tingle or ache together, because the roots sit close to the sinus floor. If several upper teeth on one side feel odd during a cold, that is the likely reason. Our guide on toothache and headache explains how pain from the teeth and head overlap.

Local anaesthetic makes the tooth, lip, cheek and sometimes the tongue numb, often for two to four hours. This is expected. Tingling as feeling returns is also normal. Be careful not to bite your lip or cheek while it lasts, and avoid hot drinks until feeling is back.

Numbness that lasts well beyond the day, or tingling in the lip or tongue that does not settle after a few days, is uncommon but worth reporting to the dentist who treated you. Do not wait it out for weeks.

Numbness or tingling in the lip, chin, cheek or teeth when you have had no dental injection needs to be assessed promptly by a dentist or doctor. It can come from a nerve being pressed by infection, an impacted tooth or a jaw problem, and sometimes from causes outside the mouth.

Get urgent medical attention at once if numbness comes with a drooping face, weakness in an arm or leg, slurred speech, confusion, or sudden severe headache. These can be signs of a stroke or another emergency, and are not a dental problem.

See a dentist the same day if tingling comes with swelling of the face, fever, or any difficulty swallowing or breathing, and go to a hospital emergency department if breathing or swallowing is affected. Tingling alone, with no other signs, can usually be assessed at a routine visit within a few days.