Can tooth or jaw pain be a heart attack? Warning signs to know

Call 911 now if jaw or tooth pain comes with any of these: chest pain, pressure or discomfort; shortness of breath; a cold sweat; nausea or vomiting; light-headedness; or pain in your arm, shoulder, back or neck. Call even if you’re not sure. Don’t drive yourself, and don’t let someone else drive you.

What’s probably going on

Most jaw and tooth pain comes from the mouth: a cavity, a cracked tooth, an infection, sore gums, or grinding and clenching. But not all of it.

The heart can send pain elsewhere. Doctors call this referred pain: the nerves that carry signals from the heart share pathways with other parts of the upper body, so the brain can feel heart trouble somewhere else.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) lists pain in the jaw, neck, back, shoulders or arms as heart attack symptoms. MedlinePlus says the pain can move from the chest to the teeth as well.

Classic heart pain sits in the center or left side of the chest, the NHLBI says. A 2025 case report in Frontiers in Pain Research notes it tends to spread toward the left arm, shoulder, neck and jaw. Tooth pain from the heart is uncommon, but it happens.

Rarely, jaw or tooth pain is the only symptom, with no chest pain at all. That’s why a dentist or doctor won’t brush it off.

Warning signs that make it an emergency

Jaw or tooth pain is more worrying when it shows up with other signs. The NHLBI, MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic list these:

• Chest pain, heaviness, pressure or tightness, often in the center or left side
• Shortness of breath, especially at rest or with little effort
• Sweating for no clear reason
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Pain spreading to one or both arms, the back, shoulders or neck
• Unusual tiredness, sometimes for days
• An irregular heartbeat

Symptoms can come and go. MedlinePlus says the pain most often lasts longer than 20 minutes, and symptoms may go away and come back.

Women may not have chest pain at all

Heart attacks don’t always look like the movies. MedlinePlus says some people, including women, older adults and people with diabetes, may have little or no chest pain.

Cleveland Clinic notes that women may have shortness of breath, nausea and sweating, with or without chest pain. Pain spreading to the jaw, back, neck or arms can also be a sign, along with sudden, unusual tiredness. The NHLBI says unexplained tiredness is more common in women.

What to do right now

If you have jaw or tooth pain plus any of the warning signs above:

1. Call 911. The NHLBI says to call even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack.
2. Don’t drive yourself, and don’t have someone drive you. The NHLBI says an ambulance is the best and safest way to get there. Emergency crews can start treatment on the way.
3. Tell the dispatcher about every symptom, including the jaw or tooth pain.

Don’t wait to see if it passes, and don’t book a dentist first. Cleveland Clinic warns that the longer the heart goes without enough blood, the higher the risk.

If it turns out to be your tooth, that’s a good outcome, and getting checked was still the right call.

How tooth pain usually differs

Some patterns point toward a tooth. Pain from a tooth often:

• Has a trigger in your mouth. It flares when you chew, bite down, or drink something hot, cold or sweet.
• Sits in one spot. You can often point to one tooth, or the gum around it.
• Comes with mouth signs. A visible cavity or crack, a swollen or tender gum, a bad taste, or a bump on the gum.

One pattern points toward the heart: pain that comes on with effort, like walking or climbing stairs, and eases within minutes of rest. That’s how the “toothache” behaved in the 2025 case report. Pain that doesn’t change with effort still doesn’t rule out the heart.

Some jaw pain comes from clenching or grinding, often worst in the morning. See jaw and tooth pain from grinding. Upper back teeth can ache with a sinus infection. See sinus toothache.

These patterns are clues, not a test. You can’t rule out a heart attack yourself. In the 2025 case report, the patient called her heart-related tooth pain “throbbing,” a word many people use for a bad tooth. The authors warn that how pain feels can mislead. If you have any warning signs, or you just aren’t sure, call 911.

How it gets checked, and what it costs

If you go to the ER, doctors will check your heart first. If your heart checks out and the pain seems to come from a tooth, see a dentist soon.

If the pain is clearly dental, with no warning signs, a dentist will look for the cause with an exam and an X-ray. The usual fixes are a filling, a root canal, a crown or an extraction. A dentist who can’t find a dental cause may send you to a doctor.

The price depends on what’s wrong, where you live and your coverage. Ask for a written estimate before dental work starts. For typical ranges, see emergency dentist visit cost. If you don’t have insurance, a dental savings plan (a discount membership, not insurance) can lower the price at participating dentists.

How to keep it from coming back

On the heart side:

• If you’ve had heart problems or have diabetes, ask your doctor which symptoms you personally should watch for. MedlinePlus notes people with diabetes may have little or no chest pain.
• Learn the warning signs above, and share them with the people you live with.

On the tooth side:

• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and clean between your teeth daily.
• Get regular checkups, so a small cavity doesn’t turn into a toothache that leaves you guessing.
• If you wake up with a sore jaw, ask your dentist about a night guard.

If you’re sure it’s your tooth and you need relief tonight, see what to do for a toothache right now.