to be panicking about all my teeth turning black?

[sevenkeystomysoul]

Seriously, I have had a funny taste in my mouth since yesterday. So I've just looked at my teeth with on of those dentisty-type- mirror-thingies, and one of my back doubles has a large black area across half of it at the bottom. I think I would have noticed if it had been like that before. Obviously it'll have to come out, but do teeth decay just like that? It's just yuck, gross and scary all at once.

go to the dentist

At 10.40pm?

No idea but ring your dentist first thing. Good luck.

The blackness could be a sign that the nerve has died - see your dentist asap but it doesn't have to mean your teeth are rotting away.

Hmmm...don't want to worry you but when my teeth did that it was because they had died :-( See a dentist. If it is that, then the sooner you find out the better as you can have a root canal and the y won't get worse, but the blacker they get, the blacker they may (may not) stay (it is the remains of bleeding). It can happen up to 2 years after a bad bang on the jaw (I slipped on ice) causing the tooth to become dislocated from its blood supply. Have you had a fall in the last 2 years?

I expect in your case you just don't clean properly, or smoke, or have an old filling that leaks but whatever, see the dentist!

All the best and PS remember that they are "only" teeth and you will be fine. Mine are great now :-)

they're still usually ok and stay in place even when dead

tooposhtopost, I don't smoke, brush properly and religiously and have no filling in that tooth. Did you get a nasty taste in your mouth when your tooth 'died'? I will get to the dentist asap (and pray my NHS exemption covers tooth extraction/root canal work). It just seems to have happened very suddenly. I've never had any problems with my teeth before, although I did miss my last six-monthly check-up

You shouldn't need tooth extraction even if the tooth is dead. They give you a root canal (insist) and then bleach the tooth if possible. It could be expensive if it's not on NHS but I would say spend every last penny on your teeth and I have my fingers crossed you are covered (I have no idea I am afraid as I went privately anyway).

Yes, in my case it was very sudden too :-( but I had no nasty taste.