Contents
Black teeth can be a signal of cavities or underlying decay that should be addressed as soon as possible. However, if your teeth turn black, it may also be the result of staining. Different drinks and foods can leave behind a bit of pigment, causing the teeth to turn black.
Teeth incur their color to a very high amount of calcium found in the outer layer of the teeth. This layer is known as the enamel.
Furter components left behind by drinks and foods can start to make teeth gray or yellow. If your teeth turn black, you should visit a dentist as soon as possible.
- Read Also: What Causes Receding Gums?
What causes black teeth?
Teeth turn black from either intrinsic or extrinsic causes.
Intrinsic causes
The tooth may turn black when damaged from the inner side. The highest culprits of black teeth in these cases are cavities or decay. For example, a dead tooth or pulp infection may turn tooth black.
The disturbance starts on the inner side and works its way to the surface. First black spots will appear on your tooth and then it will cover the entire tooth if left untreated.
Extrinsic causes
Extrinsic causes of the teeth, which turn it in black come from the outside of the tooth.
These can include:
- Tartar buildup
- Stains
- Damage of the enamel
Some straight causes of staining include:
- Frequently drinking or eating dark food products such as chocolate or coffee
- Taking bound medications, such as liquid iron supplements
- Using certain kinds of toothpaste and mouth rinses
- Using tobacco
- Having fillings and crowns made with silver sulfide
Symptoms of black teeth
It is in routine for a tooth to hastily change from a whitish hue to black. A person will generally notice some other hints before the tooth starts to turn black.
In some cases, a spot may appear gray or brown and after that brown spots can turn into black.
The tooth may promote small dots that appear black. Most of the time these spots appear near the gumline. This is a common circumstance in children who have a black tooth.
When tartar is the cause, a person will notice black coloration on the inside of the front teeth or outside of the molars. Tartar will continue to increase the stain unless it is removed.
What stains can be avoided?
People who are uneasy about developing black teeth should avoid putting certain foods in their mouths.
If you are worried about your tooth turning into black then you should sure to practice proper dental hygiene after eating.
Also, they may want to reduce or avoid their use of some of the following:
- Tobacco products
- Red wines
- Black tea
- Cola
- Coffee
Treatment and prevention
It is not easy to treat your black teeth at home. Even though many home whitening kits are available at the market that may help with mild discoloration but black teeth customarily require professional treatment.
A dentist will examine the teeth and will then impose the right treatment.
- Read Also: 50 Foods That Are Super Healthy
What if tartar is the cause of black teeth?
If the tartar is the cause of black teeth then a dentist will need to remove the buildup. This is commonly done by scraping the tartar off the teeth. Ultrasonic instruments are used for this because they use vibration to break up the tartar. Which makes it easier to remove.
What if decay is the cause?
For a dentist, it will be very difficult to improve the black tooth through a simple cleaning if decay is the cause of a black tooth. Instead of this, they need to remove the decayed portion.
In this issue, there are two problems. First, if the decay is one part of the tooth, the dentist might be able to remove the damaged part and close the hole with the filling. Second, if the decay already reached the second layer, the dentist will remove all the decay and place a crown over the top of the tooth.
Sometime, the tooth may be too severely affected to recover with filling or crown. The dentist, in this case, may need to remove the entire tooth.
Prevention tips
People can generally bypass black teeth with proper dental hygiene. ADA ( American Dental Association) recommend:
- Avoiding sugary foods
- Scheduling regular dental visits
- Flossing or cleaning between the teeth at least once a day
- Brushing twice a day
The Bottom Line
If the black tooth is because of decay, tartar buildup, or staining, a dentist is the best resource to determine. No matter what the reason a person will need a professional who can treat the black teeth.
Read Also:
