Tooth pain can sometimes be caused by heart problems rather than issues with your teeth and gums. This is because the nerves that supply your heart also supply your jaw and teeth. When there are issues with blood flow to the heart, like during a heart attack, it can cause pain to radiate up into the jaw. While most tooth pain is related to dental problems like cavities, understanding when tooth pain might indicate a heart issue is important. Here are some key things to know to help determine if your tooth pain might be related to your heart.
Symptoms of heart-related tooth pain
Some specific symptoms can help indicate when tooth pain might be caused by your heart rather than a dental issue:
- Pain occurring with exercise or exertion
- Pain that comes and goes, especially if it follows a pattern
- Tooth pain that spreads to the jaw, neck, or arm
- Tooth pain accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea
- Tooth pain that feels crushing, squeezing, or pressure-like
If your tooth pain has any of these characteristics, it is more likely to be caused by heart problems than a dental issue. The pain that comes from heart conditions often feels like crushing pressure and can radiate up into the jaw. It may come and go in a pattern related to your heart rate. Having other symptoms like sweating and shortness of breath can also indicate heart issues.
Causes of heart-related tooth pain
Some of the specific heart conditions that can cause pain to radiate to the teeth include:
Angina
Angina occurs when there is reduced blood flow to the heart. This often happens because cholesterol plaques build up in the heart’s arteries. Angina causes chest pain that can radiate up into the jaw and teeth, especially on the left side. The pain is often triggered by exertion when the heart needs more oxygen.
Heart attack
A heart attack is when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is completely blocked, usually by a blood clot. Like angina, the decreased blood flow can cause pain that radiates up to the jaw and teeth. But a heart attack causes more serious pain that lasts longer. The pain may occur at rest.
Cardiomyopathy
This condition causes the heart muscle to become enlarged, thick, or rigid. This reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. The inadequate blood flow can cause pain that spreads into the jaw and teeth.
Aortic aneurysm or dissection
An aortic aneurysm is a bulging weak spot in the aorta, which is the large blood vessel branching off the heart. If the aneurysm ruptures, it causes severe pain that spreads to the neck and jaw. An aortic dissection is a related condition where the lining of the aorta tears. This also causes sudden, intense chest and jaw pain.
Risk factors
You may be at higher risk of heart-related tooth pain if you have:
- A history of heart disease
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart disease
- Smoking habit
- Obesity
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Stress
- Older age (over 55 for men, over 65 for women)
Having one or more of these risk factors increases your chance of developing heart disease. And if you have heart disease, you are more prone to pain symptoms spreading to your jaw and teeth.
When to see a doctor
You should seek emergency medical care if your tooth pain:
- Comes on suddenly and severely
- Feels like a crushing, squeezing, or pressure-like pain in your chest that spreads to your jaw
- Is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or lightheadedness
- Occurs along with pain in your neck, jaw, or arm
These signs can indicate you are having a serious heart problem like a heart attack that requires immediate treatment. So call 911 or have someone drive you to the nearest emergency room.
You should make an appointment with your doctor promptly if you have tooth pain that:
- Feels like dull, squeezing pressure in your jaw, and comes and goes
- Occurs every time you exercise or exert yourself
- Spreads from your chest up into your jaw or teeth
- Is unexplained by dental problems
These symptoms may be caused by heart conditions like angina that need medical evaluation and treatment. Your doctor can order tests to determine if your heart is the source of the pain.
Diagnosing heart-related tooth pain
To help diagnose if your tooth pain is heart-related, your doctor may:
- Ask about your symptoms and medical history
- Do a physical exam listening to your heart and feeling your pulse
- Order an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure your heart’s electrical activity
- Order blood tests checking cardiac enzyme levels that increase when heart damage occurs
- Do an exercise stress test having you walk on a treadmill while your heart is monitored
- Order cardiac imaging tests like an echocardiogram, CT scan, or angiogram
- Refer you to a cardiologist who will do more specialized cardiac testing
Based on the test results, your doctor can determine if you have angina, heart attack, or another heart condition causing your tooth pain. They can then recommend the proper treatment.
Treatments
If your tooth pain is determined to be caused by heart problems, treatment will focus on addressing the underlying heart condition. This may include:
- Medications like nitrates, beta blockers, or calcium channel blockers to improve blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart
- Procedures like angioplasty to open blocked arteries or stents to prop them open
- Surgery like coronary bypass to reroute blood around blocked arteries
- Lifestyle changes like healthier diet, exercise, and stress management
Relieving the heart problems causing reduced blood flow will often resolve tooth pain originating from the heart. But you may also need pain-relieving medications.
When to see a dentist
In some cases, your tooth pain may have a dental cause like a cavity or cracked tooth even if you have a heart condition. See a dentist promptly if your tooth pain:
- Is confined to one tooth
- Is triggered by hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks
- Causes tooth sensitivity and pain when chewing
- Is associated with oral symptoms like swelling
These are signs you may have a dental problem that needs treatment as well. Getting dental causes evaluated and treated can help resolve tooth pain.
Key Points
- Heart-related tooth pain is due to reduced blood flow and oxygen to the heart
- It often feels like pressure, squeezing, tightness, or crushing pain
- It may occur with exertion and come and go in patterns
- See a doctor promptly if you have unexplained tooth pain, especially with exertion or other heart-related symptoms
- Cardiac testing can diagnose heart problems causing tooth pain
- Treatment focuses on fixing the underlying heart disease
- See a dentist to evaluate for dental causes as well
Conclusion
While most toothaches are due to dental problems, sometimes heart conditions can be the cause. Tooth pain that occurs with exertion, feels like crushing pressure, radiates to the jaw and arm, or is accompanied by other heart-related symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor. Tests can determine if you have angina, heart attack, or other heart diseases reducing blood flow. Treating the heart disease can often resolve the tooth pain. But dental causes should also be evaluated. Being aware of the link between the heart and teeth allows you to get the proper treatment when heart problems end up causing tooth pain.