Most people with black teeth cannot smile publicly or have the self-confidence they used to have. This article explains what causes black teeth, the symptoms and how it can be treated so, keep reading.
Causes
A tooth becomes dark due to several factors. It can be due to a stain, and the tooth can also die and turn black.
Inadequate dental hygiene
Your teeth can darken if they are not properly cared for. In the first phase, the discolouration can be caused by stains from highly coloured foods, beverages and other substances. When there is insufficient dental hygiene to eliminate the acid-forming bacteria present on the tooth, it will gradually cause tooth erosion.
While the tooth is being eroded, decay will begin to happen. The natural appearance of tooth decay is black – this easily gives off the look of a black tooth. At this point, the tooth looks rotten – a direct result of neglecting oral care over time.
Tooth death
At the death of a tooth, it no longer receives blood – the fluid containing important nutrients that makes it appear healthy and natural. Since the tooth lacks the needed nourishment, the tissues begin to die; their colour begins to fade from white and gradually becomes dark.
Does root canal treatment make teeth go black?
People are often misled by the idea that post canal treatment, a tooth will darken. But this isn’t so. One reason for a root canal treatment is black teeth – after it has become rotten and deteriorated internally. Should root canal treatment be successfully done, all the dying tissue will be extracted, and the darkening will be less severe. The tooth could get slightly dark following a root canal. This comes down to the way the root canal is carried out and the material used for the procedure.
Over what time does a tooth become black?
It depends on the cause of the tooth darkening. If tooth decay is the reason for the tooth turning black, this colour change may take years to happen. Where the tooth turns black because of injury or trauma, immediately the tooth stops receiving blood, the tissue inside will start dying and go black. Speak with dentist St Albans if you have black teeth.
When a tooth is dead, will it turn black?
Should a tooth die and it’s not treated, the tissue inside will die and start decomposing, and as a result, the tooth becomes black. Should it be that the tooth that’s dead had received a root canal using tooth-coloured material, the tooth will turn black a little, not entirely.
When a tooth is chipped, will it become black?
In a case where just the tooth enamel is chipped, it is possible for the tooth not to become black as long as oral hygiene is maintained. This case requires no emergency dental visit. Just book an appointment to get it fixed as soon as possible.
Staining is possible when the chip progresses past the enamel to the very soft dentine, and blackness is imminent. Another reason the tooth will go black is due to the softness of the dentine that makes it a breeding ground for tooth decay. Here, you need dental care, but this will not pass as an emergency dental appointment, except you begin to feel pain.
If the chip affects the pulp (part of the tooth carrying blood), which is located way after the dentine and enamel, there is the possibility of extreme discomfort and the chip letting out blood. Where no treatment is given to this condition, you will experience severe pain; the tooth will likely start dying and surely turn black. For this case, urgent dental care is required.
Will a knocked tooth turn black?
Where the impact is mild, blackness may not be the case. But where the impact is serious to the point that the blood supply is affected, the tooth may start turning black should the nerve die. Should the knock be such that blood comes out from around the gum line, it is a case that demands emergency dental care. The dentist needs to take a look at your tooth.
How to treat a black tooth?
It is pretty easy to fix black spots on teeth, sometimes caused by a mild chip that may allow stain or carry little decay. Typically, a small amount of tooth around this area is extracted by the dentist. This is to take out the stain or decay. The area is covered with a tooth-coloured bonding material. The fix will not be noticeable as the bonding will resemble the remaining natural teeth.
Dental bonding can also fix black lines. Should the black line be at the gum line, and you have a dental restoration like crown or veneer.
It’s possible to whiten a dead tooth with a peroxide gel. But only whitening may be sufficient for a dead tooth; restorations like crown or veneer may be considered. Visit your dentist today if you notice any symptom of a black tooth.
