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Original poster

Grey/black front milk teeth in 4yo

18 replies

solo · 24/02/2011 23:44

Dd had a dental check up on the 10th and up until 5 days ago her teeth were white and perfectly normal. Over the last 5 days, her two front teeth have become grey and going on to black in colour and I'm not entirely sure, but I think the lower four are starting to do the same.

She hasn't banged her mouth since she was 20 months old afaik, and she's certainly the sort to tell me if anything had occurred. There has been no evidence to suggest she's had a knock to her mouth; no split lips or bruises.
She has been unwell with virus after virus since October and is just getting over the last one now. I was wondering if a virus could be the cause of her teeth suddenly going this colour and what I can do if anything.

I'm going to phone the dentist tomorrow, but wondered if anyone had any experience of this type of thing.
Thanks in advance.

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Original poster
solo · 25/02/2011 17:42

No one?

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Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 16:22

Seeing the dentist on Tuesday and keeping fingers crossed. Really, really worried :(

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SummerRain · 26/02/2011 16:27

The only reason i've heard of for teeth to go grey so suddenly is a bang I'm afraid... and they're usually not salvageable Sad

Could she have gotten a bump in her sleep?

One thing i do know affects teeth is antibiotics..... has she been on a lot of AB's recently for the illnesses? ABs are known to cause marking and staining on teeth. However i've not heard of AB's causing sudden blackening.

How worrying for you Sad

Sleepwhenidie · 26/02/2011 16:34

My DS's (5) front tooth has gone grey and he has a gum boil, which we only discovered maybe 18m ago during a dental check. They apparently usually cause pain but his has never bothered him, he isn't even aware of it. Think it was from a bump when he was very little, it set off an infection in the gum and caused the gum boil.

Dentist did suggest removing the tooth when she discovered the gum boil (to release infection and attempt to prevent damage to adult tooth) but of course that would involve GA so didn't seem worth the risk. We got a second dentist's opinion who agreed that we should just leave it. There is a risk that the adult tooth will also be discoloured, if so this could be sorted with cosmetic dentistry in teens.

Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 16:39

Thank you for your reply SummerRain. I suppose she could've done it in her sleep, and I suppose I'll never know...she's not had ab's and that would be a yellow staining or patchy white and only come out in the 'in the gum' adult teeth (I have the yellow staining from tetracycline :() as they grow through.

Worst case scenario, and they remove the teeth (jumping the gun here before even seeing the dentist), I'm wondering if that will make her lisp worse...

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 16:42

They won't take them out unless they start to cause her pain or swelling (I work for a dentist)

Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 17:16

Blimey Sleepwhenidie :( so I'm thinking then that the knock she got at 20 months could be the cause of this blackening now...did your lo's teeth suddenly go dark?

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Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 17:18

Thanks Fanjo (!) (never thanked a fanjo before! Grin) she says they son't hurt and as far as I can tell, there's no swelling ~ just blackish teeth... :(

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 17:34

Yes, they can go dark quite a while after a bump

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 17:35

It means the nerves have died off

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 17:36

But don't worry too much as they will fall out quite soon and the adult teeth will probably be fine when they come in!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 17:37

(I mean they will naturally fall out at about age 6)

mousymouse · 26/02/2011 17:37

my ds has a grey front tooth. the colour (a dentist told me) comes from bruising underneath the tooth. that could happen in case of a fall. it can take a while for the teeth to change colour (up to a year) so the fall could have been some time ago.
the dentist will not do anything as long as the tooth doesn*t cause discomfort to the dc, which it rarely does. it is a cosmetic problem.

Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 17:45

Ok, thank you all for your replies. I think I'm a little relieved (but only a little! ). Her bump was 2.6 years ago, so a fair while back.
Will see what they say on Tuesday and report back. Everything is crossed.

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Willabywallaby · 26/02/2011 17:45

My 2YO has a discoloured front tooth. Not sure when he bashed it but must have done at some point (I'm a dentist Blush) it will fall out eventually but watch for swelling on the gum.

Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 17:46

I will! thanks Willaby :)

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 26/02/2011 17:47

Seriously please don't worry, I have sat and listened to a dentist reassuring parents many times about this and just telling them to bring the child in if they get pain or swelling

Original poster
solo · 26/02/2011 17:48

:) I'll try Fanjo, thank you :)

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