I was eating something crunchy when i suddenly got jaw pain on the left side near my ear whenever i clench my teeth. is this something i can wait out?

TMD: If clenching causes pain in front of the ear, you may have temporo-mandibular disorder. The pain may be coming from the jaw joint, but more commonly from the muscles of mastication (muscles that close the jaw). See your dentist for a specific diagnosis.

Be careful: You could have strained your left TMJ when you were eating. If the range of motion of your jaw is not affected and you experience no pain/discomfort or popping/clicking in the joint when you open and close and if you don't notice a change in your bite then you can expect it to get better. Just eat a softer diet, try taking an NSAID like advil (ibuprofen) and alternate between hot/cold compress on the joint.