Hi there,
My father has had tooth pain recently, but for the first time, he complained about chest pain as well. He dislikes going to the dentist and the doctor, but with this new development I think he needs to. He has had and been treated for dental pain before, but this is the first time he has had chest pains, too. Are they connected?
Evan Halloran, from Quantico, Virginia
Hi Evan,
Not to alarm you, but your father needs to be seen by an emergency dentist or physician. Tooth pains can be a sign of cardiac distress or a heart attack. It is not a common sign, but if he feels pain on the left side of his jaw and it radiates throughout his mouth, it’s a likely sign. Tooth pain can signify a heart attack even if there is no chest pain with it.
Good dental health is linked with good cardiovascular health. Since your father has had dental problems in the past and dental problems tend to worsen with age, it is likely your father is dealing with heart pain, too. To ease both of your minds, he should go in for a general physician’s check up, as well as go back to his family dentist. Most health care is preventative, so start taking things seriously and treat his heart and dental issues proactively.
This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert Emergency dentist, Dr. Matt Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.