British dental journal
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British dental journal · Jun 2005
Case ReportsBilateral facial pain from cardiac origin. A case report.
A case of a 65-year-old female patient is reported. Her chief complaint was facial pain, so she sought care from her general dental practitioner for evaluation of a suspected temporomandibular disorder, after repeated visits to the emergency department due to excruciating facial pain associated with exertion. The dental examination revealed an edentulous upper and lower jaw. ⋯ Eventually, she was referred for cardiological evaluation, as her pain radiated to the chest and there was a medical history of myocardial infarction. Cardiac pain may radiate to the face and lead patients to seek dental care. In these settings, dentists may contribute to the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and refer patients for cardiological evaluation.