Heart disease will claim more than half a million lives this year. Most adults know heart disease is the number-one killer of Americans, however a consumer survey reveals 60 percent don't know that a sore or painful jaw is one warning sign that may indicate an impending heart attack, reports the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

"Educating consumers on the link between oral and overall health, including warning signs in the mouth that may indicate a larger health problem, can help save lives," says AGD spokesperson E. Mac Edington, DDS, MAGD, ABGD.

Reviewed: January 2012