Is Jaw Pain a Sign of Cancer?

This page is for anyone with jaw pain who wonders if it could be cancer. It covers the urgent causes first, then everyday causes, then the patterns linked to cancer.

Jaw pain is unusual among symptoms. The fastest-moving causes have nothing to do with the jawbone.

A heart attack can be felt in the jaw. A dental infection can spread until it threatens the airway. Inflamed arteries in the scalp can take your sight within days.

Cancer is on the list too, but it moves slowly. So this page starts with the clock, not the diagnosis.

MedlinePlus says heart attack pain may spread from the chest to the arms, shoulders, neck, teeth, jaw, belly or back.

Call 911 if jaw discomfort comes with any of these:

• chest pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• shortness of breath.
• sweating or nausea.
• anxiety or a racing heartbeat.

MedlinePlus is direct about the response. Call 911 and do not drive yourself to the hospital.

A tooth abscess is a pocket of infection. MedlinePlus calls a swollen area of the upper or lower jaw a very serious symptom, and says an untreated abscess can cause life-threatening complications.

Call 911 if swelling of the jaw, mouth or throat makes it hard to breathe or hard to swallow your own saliva. Trouble opening the mouth belongs in the same emergency group. Add fever and rapid worsening to the reasons to go now rather than wait for a dental appointment.

Giant cell arteritis inflames arteries around the head. MedlinePlus lists a new throbbing headache on one side, scalp tenderness, jaw pain while chewing, and fever and muscle aches. It also lists vision problems, including blurred or double vision or sudden blindness.

MedlinePlus notes that prompt treatment can help prevent severe problems such as blindness or stroke. Contact a doctor right away if this pattern fits. For sudden loss or reduction of vision, call 911 rather than waiting for an appointment.

Most jaw pain traces back to something familiar:

• tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or gum infection.
• jaw joint problems, often called TMJ disorders.
• grinding or clenching teeth, especially at night.
• sinus infection pressing on the upper teeth.
• injury, arthritis, or muscle strain from wide opening at the dentist.

Now the cancer-related patterns, which look quite different from the ones above.

NCI lists these oral cavity (mouth) symptoms:

• a white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth.
• a growth or swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly.
• unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth.

For salivary gland cancers, NCI names:

• swelling under the chin or around the jawbone.
• numbness or paralysis of facial muscles.
• pain in the face, chin or neck that does not go away.

NCI also lists a lump in the neck, or a sore in the mouth or throat that does not heal and may be painful, as head and neck cancer symptoms. See a dentist or doctor if you have either.

New numbness of the lip or chin deserves the same attention, as does a tooth that has become loose without gum disease to explain it.

A dentist and a doctor cover different ground, and either can start.

A dentist can X-ray the teeth and jaw, check for abscess and decay, assess the joint, and inspect the lining of the mouth.

A doctor can assess the heart. For suspected giant cell arteritis, MedlinePlus says blood tests of inflammation help, and a temporal artery biopsy may be needed. They can also refer you to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor or an oral surgeon. Suspicious areas are settled by biopsy, not by appearance.

Say what you were doing when it started. Chewing, resting, exercising, or waking up with it are four different stories.

Note whether it is one side, whether it spreads, and what else happened at the same time. Mention any mouth sore or neck lump, however small. Head and Neck Cancer sets out what specialists look for.

• MedlinePlus — Heart attack
• MedlinePlus — Giant cell arteritis
• National Cancer Institute — Head and Neck Cancers
• MedlinePlus — Tooth abscess