Visceral diseases of chest and throat tied to non- odontogenic orofacial pain
Referred orofacial pain may be the symptom of visceral diseases of the chest and throat. Early diagnosis by vigilant dentists can help rule out the odontogenic origin of the pain and lead to apt diagnosis and treatment, states an article published in the journal of American.
Daniel E. Myers from Florida conducted a review to show that referred orofacial pain can be the chief symptom or a prominent symptom of visceral diseases of the chest and throat, with implications for dental and medical practice.
PubMed database was searched to identify dentally relevant clinical case reports and case series using the following terms: jaw pain, orofacial pain, toothache, temporomandibular disorders, otalgia, neuralgia, and neuropathic pain crossed with angina, myocardial infarction, carotid artery, oesophagus, mediastinum, thyroid, heart, pericardium, aorta, lung, thymus gland, and stomach.
Numerous acute, visceral disorders of the throat and chest have been reported to produce pain in the orofacial region, which may be difficult to distinguish from dental-related diseases based on symptoms alone.
Key findings of the study,
1. Chest organs and structures reported causing orofacial pain include the heart, aorta, oesophagus, stomach, lungs, and mediastinum.
2. Throat organs and structures reported causing pain in the orofacial region include the thyroid gland, carotid arteries, and vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves.
3. Coronary artery diseases, aortic and carotid dissection, mediastinal tumours, subacute thyroiditis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease have a predilection for referring pain orofacial.
The author concludes that a mistake of misdiagnosing referred visceral orofacial pain may lead to delayed diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. Dentists can play a crucial role in the management of these conditions by ruling out odontogenic facial pain, promptly referring patients to medical specialists, and educating patients.
Visceral pain referred to the orofacial region may not be as rare a phenomenon as is sometimes assumed and Future research to determine the incidence and mechanism of orofacial pain is needed.
Reference:
Daniel E. Myers, DDS, MS Review of visceral throat and chest disorders causing nonodontogenic orofacial pain Published:March 08, 2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.01.007
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