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Black mark on tooth
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The son-and-heir (mid twenties) has discovered a black mark on one of his lower molars.
He says it appeared suddenly at the weekend , he hadn't noticed it before and it almost covers the whole of his tooth.
It hurts a bit when he bites down on it.
He has regular check ups and good dental hygeine.
Anyone got any ideas what it might be ?
Can investigation wait until he comes back from the US to the UK in a couple of weeks ?
Thanks.
He says it appeared suddenly at the weekend , he hadn't noticed it before and it almost covers the whole of his tooth.
It hurts a bit when he bites down on it.
He has regular check ups and good dental hygeine.
Anyone got any ideas what it might be ?
Can investigation wait until he comes back from the US to the UK in a couple of weeks ?
Thanks.
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by ladyalex. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.It is possible that the tooth may have died (I'm sure there are other explanations, but I'm fairly sure that the tooth sometimes blackens when it dies).
It usually occurs following a trauma - has he suffered a bang to the mouth recently ??
A root filling may be required to help preserve the tooth.
I'm no expert so I could be way off, but this may (or may not) be an explanation.
It usually occurs following a trauma - has he suffered a bang to the mouth recently ??
A root filling may be required to help preserve the tooth.
I'm no expert so I could be way off, but this may (or may not) be an explanation.
I'm wondering if it's happened over a period of time and he's only just noticed it, 'cos when the tooth blackens after it dies, it usually takes time to go black, as Maidup points out.
Have a read of this:
http ://w ww.s mile clin iq.c om/d ead_ toot h_bl ack_ toot h_di scol oure d_to oth. php
Have a read of this:
http
To be precise, this black mark is on the tooth (enamel) and NOT the gum?
On this premise then it is no big deal and can wait until he returns from the US of A.
It may well be dietary or perhaps due to smoking.
If it is arising from or affecting the gum, then get it checked as soon as possible....the latter situation being unlikely in my opinion.
On this premise then it is no big deal and can wait until he returns from the US of A.
It may well be dietary or perhaps due to smoking.
If it is arising from or affecting the gum, then get it checked as soon as possible....the latter situation being unlikely in my opinion.
I agree with Sqad that it is most likely extrinsic staining of dietary/smoking origin, if it 'appeared suddenly at the weekend' and 'covers the whole of the tooth'. I cannot think of any pathological cause that fits this description.
Whilst there are many causes of tooth discoloration, the vast majority take time to develop and will have a generalised distribution affecting more than one tooth.
Whilst there are many causes of tooth discoloration, the vast majority take time to develop and will have a generalised distribution affecting more than one tooth.
Hello everyone, here is the update.
It turns out that the 'enormous black mark' is quite simply an old amalgam filling that he had forgotten he ever had.
It didn't just 'suddenly appear' yesterday, he just hadn't noticed it before.
Red faces all round, but mostly for the son-and-heir.
I don't know, brain as big as a planet, grad student at UMass but no sense. Sigh.
Thanks to everyone for the input.
:-))
It turns out that the 'enormous black mark' is quite simply an old amalgam filling that he had forgotten he ever had.
It didn't just 'suddenly appear' yesterday, he just hadn't noticed it before.
Red faces all round, but mostly for the son-and-heir.
I don't know, brain as big as a planet, grad student at UMass but no sense. Sigh.
Thanks to everyone for the input.
:-))