Heart attack: Sour taste in the mouth, jaw pain or gum disease could be warning signs

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Chest pain or pressure is the most common symptom of a heart attack; however, people who are having a heart attack may experience a variety of symptoms that include jaw pain, sweating, heartburn, shortness of breath, jaw pain, toothache, headache, and nausea and vomiting. What are the main symptoms found in a person’s mouth warning of the impending doom?

If a person notices an unusual taste in their mouth, often described as sour it could be a warning sign.

Gum disease or periodontitis could lead to heart disease, as a build-up of ‘bad’ bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream.

Other gum disease symptoms include bad breath, tooth loss or inflamed gums. Professor Adam Taylor from Lancaster University said: “The heart, so integral to life.

“It sits in its protective cage in the chest, going about its work without any external sign to the owner.

“The mouth is full of bacteria, both good and bad.

“The bad bacteria can enter the bloodstream from the mouth and cause inflammation in the blood vessels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.”

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For decades, researchers have probed the link between gum disease and cardiovascular health.

Gum disease begins when the sticky, bacteria-laden film dentists refer to as plaque builds up around the teeth.

It’s a completely different type of plaque which is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in blood can build up inside arteries.

Known as atherosclerosis, this fatty plaque is the hallmark and breeding ground for heart disease and heart attacks.

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When blood flow to your heart is significantly or completely blocked, you’re having a heart attack, said Healthline.

The health site added: “Two symptoms that are common in heart attacks chest pain and jaw pain.

“Jaw pain is sometimes described as feeling like a bad toothache.

“If you’re experiencing jaw pain by itself, there are a number of explanations other than heart attack including either neuralgia, coronary artery disease, temporal arteries or bruxism.”

Making healthy lifestyle decisions, such as eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly is a sure-fire way to reduce your risk of a heart attack.

There are also lesser-known risk factors to be aware of.

Research shows that getting too much or too little sleep can raise your risk.

It is also important to lower your stress levels.

Harvard Health explains: “Chronic stress can increase inflammation in your body, which in turn can raise high blood pressure and lower “good” HDL cholesterol.”

HDL cholesterol lowers your risk of heart disease.

Exercise can help counteract the harmful effects of stress and improve cardiovascular health by controlling weight, improving cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.

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