Sunday, March 24, 2024

Toothache And Heart Attack

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Referred Pain Can Be Indicative Of A Much Bigger Problem

too much SAIDA can cause toothache and heart attack

Do you remember that Frasier episode where Niles had a persistent toothache, and speculates it may be referred pain? This ends up being true when, on an EKG, Niles finds out he was experiencing a walking heart attack for days without realizing it. Soon, he is rushed to the hospital for heart surgery.

So, is this simply a fictional plot line or is there actual potential that a toothache could be something much more serious?

Eat Foods Rich In Calcium Magnesium Phosphorus And Vitamins

Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium plays an important role in enamel remineralization and saliva production.

The remineralization process is essential for the cavity to reverse naturally.

Optimal saliva production acts as a natural cleanser and prevents plaque accumulation and acts as an adjunct in the process of healing cavity naturally.

All thanks to calcium rich foods like cauliflower, nuts, salmons and figs.

Magnesium Rich Foods

Magnesium is essential for remineralization of the enamel as well as to maintain a balance of minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Magnesium deficiency will lead to enamel demineralization and weakening of the enamel, halting the natural healing of the cavity.

Leafy green vegetables, avocado and squash seeds are some magnesium rich foods that you can consider.

Phosphorus Rich Foods

Foods like meat, eggs and dairy products are rich in phosphorus and help in naturally healing the cavity in its earliest stage.

Vitamin D Rich Foods

Vitamin D is essential for calcium and phosphorus absorption in the body and its deficiency eventually wastes the calcium you intake.

Spending a few minutes in the morning sun gives an adequate amount of vitamin D to the body. However, foods like fish and egg yolks are rich vitamin D sources.

Rare Causes Of Referred Pain Toothaches

Trigeminal neuralgia and occipital neuralgia are painful neurological conditions that cause your trigeminal and occipital nerves to become irritated or inflamed.

These nerves service your skull, face, and teeth. When they become inflamed, pain can feel like its coming from your teeth.

Toothaches usually require medical treatment. Home treatment may temporarily relieve your pain while you wait for your dentist or doctors appointment.

Also Check: Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery

What Will Happen If I Ignore The Tooth Infection Or Leave It Untreated

If the tooth infection is left untreated, infection spreads and may cause systemic problems that may be fatal.

A study reported 40% mortality associated with descending tooth infection left untreated.

Ascending tooth infections may enter the brain through sinuses or blood and lead to abscess formation in the brain.

Study published in the Australian Dental Journal reported ascending necrotising fasciitis resulting from the odontogenic infections.

Can Tooth Pain Be A Sign Of Something Wrong In The Heart

Is this toothache or am I having a heart attack?

Sometimes, things can work the other way around. Instead of an issue traveling from the tooth to the heart, the heart can send a warning message to a tooth or teeth.

Specifically, tooth pain or jaw pain has been found to be a possible warning sign that certain patients may be suffering from heart disease, such as blocked arteries.

This may sound strange, but is a fairly common phenomenon of pain being transferred from one part of the body to another, such as the experience of arm pain during a heart attack.

The signs that a toothache may be the sign of a bigger health issue include:

  • a burning or pulsing pain
  • a pain that suddenly comes and goes, or dramatically changes
  • a long-lasting pain over days or months
  • a sudden pain in multiple teeth
  • a pain that does not respond to anaesthetics and numbing medicines
  • A lack of response to dental treatment
  • Pain that travels up from your chest to your jaw

Always be alert to your symptoms. And speak to your medical practitioner if you suspect you may be suffering from heart disease, or you have a family history of heart problems.

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Is A Heart Attack More Painful Than Childbirth

I’ve never had anyone tell me that a heart attack is more painful than childbirth. In fact, cardiologists shy away from the word “pain,” because the sensations associated with heart attacks are not sharp, nor do they come in intense waves like in childbirth.

Heart attacks usually involve a steady discomfort that buildseither quickly or more slowlyfrom a lower intensity to high intensity. Patients describe the sensation as heaviness, achy-ness, pressure or burning.

I am happy whenever the public pays attention to women’s risk of heart disease. Please talk with your friends and family members about the typical and atypical signs of heart attack and the importance of calling 9-1-1.

I’d like to make a plug for prevention, too. Regardless of your current health status, you can do a lot to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke by exercising, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and keeping blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol at good levels.

If you need a doctor, you can find one in our provider directory.

How Does An Oral Infection Relate To Heart Disease

Your heart and mouth perform two very different functions, but the actions of one still affect the other. For example, the dental condition periodontitis causes inflammation that can increase the likelihood of developing one of several serious health conditions like heart disease. Periodontitis happens when your body tries to fight the growth of bacterial overgrowth that occurs because of cavities. Left unchecked, the infection can get into your bloodstream and travel to your heart.

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A Toothache And Chest Pains Can Signify A Heart Attack

Although toothaches are not a common sign of heart attack, orofacial pain is seen in approximately 10% of all heart attacks. Unlike the traditional toothache, which is localized to a single tooth, the pain tends to radiate throughout the jaw. More often than not its felt across the lower left, but it can be felt across the full lower arch and in other places too. This has to do with how nerves travel through the body, though each persons anatomy is slightly different. No two heart attacks show the exact same symptoms for everyone. Its also worth noting that some people feel this pain and dont have chest pains which accompany it. In any case, it should be treated as a medical emergency.

Symptoms Of Tooth Infection Spreading To Heart

Toothaches – What causes them and how to get real relief. – AppointmentCity.com

This blog post will address the topic, symptoms of tooth infection spreading to heart and cover topics like what research says, what will happen if you ignore the tooth infection, symptoms of tooth infection spreading to body, what a tooth infection is, causes of tooth infection, signs and symptoms of tooth infection, alarming symptoms of tooth infection, treatment and management of tooth infection and prevention of tooth infection.

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Are Women’s Heart Attack Symptoms Different

Women certainly can experience any of the classic heart attack symptoms:

  • A heavy weight on the chest
  • A heartburn-like sensation
  • Discomfort in one or both arms
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cold sweatiness

In addition, both men and women can experience what we call atypical symptoms — symptoms you might not immediately associate with a heart attack. However, atypical symptoms are far more likely in women. These symptoms may include the following:

  • Pain or discomfort in an odd spot, such as the jaw, elbow or a tooth
  • An unexplained sense of doom or anxiety
  • A vague feeling that something isn’t right
  • Sudden weakness or deep fatigue
  • Shortness of breath

Whether typical or atypical, heart attack symptoms can hit hard and fast, or they can present themselves slowly and build in severity over the course of an hour or two.

Toothaches Should Be Taken Seriously

Even if her heart is fine, a toothache needs to be taken seriously. Often, they are a sign of a tooth infection. These should be considered a dental emergency. When the infection is not physically removed by a dentist in a procedure known as a root canal treatment, the infection will spread. Antibiotics alone wont help. Even in the 21st century, people still die from tooth infections.

Read Also: Which Arm Goes Numb In A Heart Attack

Is Your Toothache A Sign Of Heart Attack

The heart is a vital organ, having the function to pump blood across the body. It works day and night throughout our life and stops only when a person is dead. But due to specific reasons, there are also many disorders associated with the heart.

One of the common heart diseases is a heart attack or myocardial infarction. It involves the blockage of arteries of your heart, leading to the death of heart tissues. The problem can be fatal. There are many symptoms associated with a heart attack. Is toothache and jaw pain one of the symptoms of a heart attack? Let us find the answer to this question in todays article.

A Friend Forwarded An E

Signs and Symptoms of Toothache : What to look out for

Answer provided by Suzanne M. Hall, M.D., F.A.C.C., medical director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Program at Providence Heart and Vascular Institute, and cardiologist with Columbia Cardiology Associates:

I looked at the e-mail , and while the facts and recommendations in it are far from perfect, I do like that it’s talking about women and heart attacks.

Most women, and even many of their physicians, don’t consider women as being at high risk of heart disease, even though it is the number one killer of women in the United States. In fact, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, heart attacks and strokes take the lives of far more women every year than lung, breast and colorectal cancers combined.

I want women to know that they should call 9-1-1 if they ever feel a strange, new discomfort in their chest or if they experience any of the symptoms described later in this article.

If you wait out the discomfort of a heart attack for a few hours, the discomfort goes awaybecause the affected heart muscle has died. Don’t wait it out. The faster you seek medical treatment, the more heart muscle you’ll save. Time is heart muscle.

Here is the e-mail. More of my comments follow.

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The Relationship Between Dental Health And Heart Disease

At a broad level, research points to poor dental health as a potential risk factor for heart disease. This means that tooth pain and chest pain can be related. It has been found that people with gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and tooth infections have more cardiovascular problems like heart attacks or strokes.

There are a few theories about why this can happen. When you have an infection in your tooth or gums, the bacteria from the infection can enter your bloodstream and travel elsewhere in your body, including the heart and blood vessels. We have described some examples of medical conditions where this happens already.

In addition to damage and symptoms caused by the actual unwanted bacteria present in the heart or blood vessels, the bacteria can further cause an inflammatory reaction. Inflammation occurs when the bodys own immune system responds to the bacteria. Slow or chronic inflammation from the presence of continued unwanted bacteria is damaging to the heart and blood vessels.

Another consideration is that there are other factors that link the presence of heart problems to poor oral health. For example, people who smoke are more likely to have poor oral hygiene, and people who smoke are also at greater risk for heart attacks and strokes due to the effects of nicotine. People who cannot afford or have access to healthy food options may suffer more oral health problems, and also be at risk for heart and blood vessel problems, due to poorer nutrition options.

Heart Attack Symptoms: Is Your Toothache A Sign Of The Deadly Condition

A blocked coronary artery blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood and oxygen is the culprit behind a deadly heart attack. Could toothache be a warning sign of the condition?

According to Medicine Net, toothache is most certainly an indicator for a heart attack.

Other bizarre signs may include arm pain, upper back pain, general malaise and vomiting.

The most common heart attack sensation is pain, fullness and/or squeezing in the chest, and the pain can radiate to the jaw or other body parts.

When the heart is starved of blood and oxygen, the heart muscle becomes injured triggering chest pain and pressure.

If blood flow isnt restored to the heart muscle within 20 to 40 minutes, irreversible death of the heart muscle will begin.

The heart muscle continues to die for six to eight hours, when the heart muscle is then replaced by scar tissue.

Bear in mind that heart attacks producing no symptoms can be just as life-threatening as heart attacks that cause severe chest pain.

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Too often patients attribute heart attack symptoms to indigestion, fatigue, or stress, testified Medicine Net.

There are other signs of a heart attack you need to be aware of, so that you can discuss them with healthcare staff as soon as possible.

These include: headaches, nausea, sweating, heartburn or indigestion early diagnosis saves lives.

Also Check: What Makes Heart Rate Go Up

Toothache Pain: When Does It Become Something To Worry About

Toothaches are awful, aren’t they?

In fact, they are really high up there on the “pain scale” — at least in my mind . I mean, think about it — they are painful enough to drive someone to go see a professional who will drill into said teeth . So yes, toothaches hurt.

Oftentimes, a patient will come in and say “Dr. Connelly, this toothache is killing me.” Which, while certainly descriptive, is probably not the truth … or is it?

Before we get started, let me come right out and tell you that no, a normal, classic toothache cannot kill you. Yes, the pain might seem like it can and the underlying issues that caused the toothache could possibly be fatal if left untreated. And, to pile on, some rather nasty afflictions list jaw and tooth pain as symptoms. But no, a toothache, in and of itself, isn’t fatal, so relax.

I do want to take this time to go over what generally causes a toothache, and discuss the possibility of “dying from a toothache.”

To begin, a toothache that is really a toothache can be caused by a variety of reasons:

Decay/Cavities: The “classic” toothache cause is a simple cavity. Bacteria gets where it shouldn’t and “viola,” you have pain. The cure is usually a simple filling.

Cracked Tooth: Sometimes, teeth break without having a cavity or the like. This can cause toothaches.

Let’s move along now and talk about a few other afflictions that list “toothache” as a symptom:

Until next time, keep smiling.

Symptoms Of Heart Problems That Involve Your Teeth

Heart Attack Symptoms – Drs. Mehmet C. Oz, Holly S. Andersen
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Dental Care After Heart Attack

Talk to your cardiologist about undergoing any dental treatments in case they recommend waiting. And tell your dentist if you are taking anticoagulants . These medications could result in excessive bleeding during some oral surgery procedures. Ask your dentist if oxygen and nitroglycerin are available in case a medical emergency should arise during your office visit.

When To Call A Doctor

If you are experiencing moderate or mild jaw stiffness and tooth pain, make an appointment with your doctor. However, if it is complicated with other heart attack symptoms, take a medical emergency as soon as possible. You may need a medical emergency if you have the following conditions:

  • Discomfort in your chest. It may include pain, pressure, and feeling something heavy on your chest.
  • Pale, sweaty, or cold skin.
  • Problems in your breathing.

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Detecting A Different Kind Of Jaw Pain

Many of the common signs of heart attack are well known: tightness or pressure in the chest, discomfort in the arms and shoulders, shortness of breath. Theres another to add to the mix, one that may not prompt an immediate 911 call or trip to the ER: jaw pain.

Sometimes the manifestation of a heart attack or some cardiac event can be felt in the jaws, the teeth and the neck. Its not just the left side it can happen on the right side, too, especially for females, says Dr. Steven Bender, clinical assistant professor and director of the Center for Facial Pain and Sleep Medicine at Texas A& M College of Dentistry. The pain is a sign. Its an indicator that something is happening right then, right in that moment. It may come and go depending on the severity, just like people who say I thought it was heartburn, and it comes and goes. Its the same thing with the jaw pain. It may come and go, and people may not attribute it to a cardiac event.

The head, neck and jaw pain experienced during a cardiac event is different than the chronic pain experienced by many of Benders patients, who often suffer from temporomandibular joint disorders. Patients with TMD typically can put their finger on the exact area that hurts, whether its the jaw, the jaw joint or the side of the head, and the pain often flares up when yawning or chewing.

You always have to put it into context with risk factors, Feghali adds.

Its a two-way collaboration, he explains.

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