Dear Doctor,

I have noticed that the inside of my molar tooth is turning black. I have excellent oral hygiene so I don’t understand what is going on. Could it be tooth decay? Please advise.

Sharon

Dear Sharon,

Poor dental hygiene is a common cause for discoloration of teeth. One may try to maintain good hygiene but if dental cleaning is not adequate or flossing is not done, plaques of food may not be removed from sites which are not very accessible for cleaning. These are like undersurface of teeth, molar teeth(being located in sides). Over time, these plaques may get infected causing infection of roots and gums and tooth decay. There are several other reasons as well for discoloration of teeth. Excess of tea and or coffee or colas can also cause discoloration of teeth. It can be due to use of tobacco or smoking. Chemo/radiotherapy involving head and neck can cause discoloration of teeth as adverse effect. It can also be due to a side effect of drugs like tetracyclines, diphenhydramine. Discoloration can also be due to advancing age. Exposure of teeth to excess of fluoride as in water or toothpastes can also cause it. Genetic factors also play a role.

Blackening of teeth can be due to silver sulphide containing dental material used for amalgam restorations or other dental interventions.

If the black discoloration is associated with pain and or swelling of gums, bleeding from gums, foul smell from mouth, symptoms of infection, it is advisable to take suitable antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Rinsing the mouth with antiseptic mouth wash is also useful. The discolored tooth can be cleaned and colored by a dentist

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital