Some people may experience tooth pain on the left side of the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. Such people may also experience pain in the back of the left jaw. Some tooth pain symptoms on the left side of the mouth can range from simple discomfort to high-intensity pain.
Proper diagnosis can help determine the possible cause of the pain and the appropriate course of treatment. The different treatment methods for tooth pain can include filing, root canals, antibiotics, painkillers, desensitizing, and using coverings such as veneers or dental crowns.
Common Causes Of Teeth Pain On The Left Side
Abscessed Teeth
An individual may feel pain if they have abscessed teeth. This is a condition where the dental pulp, also known as the nerve, has become infected. This can occur when tooth decay goes untreated for a long duration and spreads deep within the tooth. The painful infection can also be between the gum and the tooth. Moreover, cracked or broken teeth can lead to disease.
Common symptoms of this condition include pain when chewing, tooth pain, constant throb associated with the teeth, swelling of the neck glands, and inflamed and swollen gum tissue. A small pimple may also appear filled with pus. The puss forms a barrier around the infection. If the pus is drained, the area may become less swollen and painful.
TMJ Disorders
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder can cause teeth to pain on the left side. The left temporomandibular joint, located directly in front of the left ear joint, is where the upper and lower jaw meet. The moving parts within the TMJ tissue allow the maxilla to close on the mandible.
The joint is used throughout the day, especially when yawning, biting, talking, and chewing. Individuals experiencing TMJ difficulty may suffer considerable discomfort when using the joint.
Behaviors that can lead to TMJ problems include habitual gum eating, stress, teeth grinding, trauma to the jaws, misalignment of teeth, or occupational tasks. Some symptoms can include ear pain, ringing in the ear, dizziness, and headache.
Jaw Pain
A dull and unrelenting jaw ache on the lower left side of the mouth can be a sign of heart pain from a heart attack. The pain may happen when the agitated nerves surrounding the heart send pain through the nerves in the spine to the left jaw, among other body parts.
The pain may increase or decrease over a few minutes and cause tooth pain. The sensation, also known as referred pain, moves around such that it may be difficult to pinpoint its source. Moving the jaw may increase tooth pain on the left side.
Sinus Infection
Individuals suffering from sinusitis can also experience tooth pain on the left side of the mouth because sinus pain can masquerade as dental pain. Individuals with a sinus infection may not precisely pinpoint the teeth in distress. The pain can be caused by the inflammation of the left maxillary sinus due to outside elements such as allergies, bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
Healthcare professionals should diagnose thoroughly to rule out the common cold because sinusitis symptoms are similar to the common cold. Sinusitis symptoms can include a runny nose, pain on the side of the face, and sinus headaches. A dentist may tap on several teeth on the upper left jaw, and a few may respond.
Read: 10 Simple Tips to Get Rid of a Sinus Infection Naturally
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Also known as prosopalgia or suicide disease, Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by intense pain originating from the trigeminal nerve.
The trigeminal nerve provides feeling to teeth, eyes, the face’s skin, and the mouth’s lining. The condition earned its name as “the suicide disease” because it is considered the most painful medical condition ever. A mild stimulation, such as a gentle breeze or touch to the face, can trigger a pain attack.
Common triggers can also include chewing, brushing, eating, talking, hair combing, and water from a shower. The sudden attack of pain can be short and relatively mild or longer and more painful.
Though the condition may cause tooth pain on either side of the face, the right side pain is separate and distinct from the left side pain. Multiple sclerosis, tumor, stroke, injury to a nerve, or contact between the trigeminal nerve and a usual vein or artery may also cause the pain.
Gum Recession
The teeth on the left side may also hurt due to gum recession. If the gum recedes, the roots of the teeth may become exposed and cause tooth pain. The teeth may become sensitive to something sour, hot, cold, or sweet.
Other symptoms include a change in color, longer teeth than usual, larger spaces between the teeth, and cavities below the gum line. Gum-recession causes that can lead to tooth pain on the left side of the mouth include grinding teeth, abnormal tooth position, improper flossing, inadequate brushing, and periodontal disease.
Dental Treatment
People who have undergone dental treatment on the left side may experience pain. Postoperative teeth pain on the left side after a crown, filling, or root canal treatment may cause a certain level of discomfort.
Sometimes the area around the teeth may become irritated by friction, temperatures, and materials used after dental treatment. The pain may subside in a few days, weeks, or not at all.
Wisdom Teeth
The eruption of left wisdom teeth can cause pain as well. Since they are the last molars to enter the mouth, there may not be enough space for them to come out fully.
In this case, the teeth may be poorly aligned, which can damage or crowd adjacent teeth or nerves. The partial eruption can allow an opening for bacteria to enter and cause an infection, resulting in jaw stiffness, swelling, and tooth pain on the left side.
Read: Wisdom Teeth Pain Relief -15 Best Home Remedies
Quick tips
Some diagnoses may demand an emergency trip to the hospital. An individual can visit the dentist if the tooth pain on the left side is persistent or if they cannot open or close the jaw entirely for other reasons.
