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Original poster

Can a grey baby tooth go white again after trauma?

47 replies

bluebabydinosaur · 28/02/2022 10:54

I’m very upset, I know I shouldn’t be but can’t help it! There are far more important things that i should be concerned about! Bad mummy!
My son got hit in the face by a seesaw three weeks ago and two of his front teeth have gone grey/purple. There is no other damage. I’ve read various things on the internet about them dying and staying black and just being bruised and turning white again. I just want them to go back to how they were I’m finding it so hard to look at him like this. I know they will fall out eventually and its cosmetic but I can’t help how sad it’s making me feel. Does anyone have any stories? I’d obviously love them to go back to how they were. Any stories or encouragement would be really appreciated.

OP posts:
NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 28/02/2022 18:20

I felt just the same as that happened to my ds front baby tooth. Unfortunately it stayed grey but second set grew in fine.

Kilimanjaro97 · 28/02/2022 18:24

No

Tittyfilarious81 · 28/02/2022 18:25

My little girls stayed grey

Fiftysixthnamechange · 28/02/2022 18:26

No, it's dead so it will stay that way until it falls out.

Kanaloa · 28/02/2022 18:27

Bless him, hope he’s okay. This happened to my niece, she was 3 and a half and slipped down some stone steps banging her face, her front two teeth went grey. They stayed grey but she got her big teeth which are white and normal looking, absolutely no dental issues. I remember sil rushing her to the dentist but they said they couldn’t do anything for it because the teeth weren’t rotted/infected, they were literally just damaged from the impact. But as I said, adult teeth came in normally. I think the part sil actually worried about the most was people might look and think something about her as a mum, but everyone who knew niece knew what had happened!

RobinHobb · 28/02/2022 18:28

Went grey and then back to white! I felt the same as you and felt really terrible, but I remember reading the majority of them recover and do go back to white. Was very relieved. Hopefully will happen for your baby too..,

Kanaloa · 28/02/2022 18:29

I know you asked for encouragement and I don’t think my post was very encouraging! If it’s any comfort, once he has his big teeth you’ll look back on the photos and it will be a story to tell. Has a kid even lived if they don’t have some weird injury to tell them about when they’re older?

SingingSands · 28/02/2022 18:31

I've never known a damaged tooth to go back to white, sorry OP.

It's probably not much comfort, but this is very common with young kids. My DS did it by roller skating into a concrete lamppost. And I'd estimate half his class at primary had something similar happen.

Camdenish · 28/02/2022 18:36

I’m sorry, but no, I don’t see how they could.

Have you seen a dentist? If not I really think you should. Damaged baby teeth may impact the adult teeth and it’s good that you’re dentist can keep an eye on things.

Whatdramain2022 · 28/02/2022 18:55

As a dental professional I have never known teeth go back to white. It's dead tissue showing through the teeth. You could ask your dentist if they could have a layer of white filling on the fronts. Maybe a private dentist would try, but it wouldn't be easy on a small child. I had a tearful mother bring I her nine month old baby who had fallen out of her high chair and knocked her two front teeth out. She was horrified when I said she'd have to wait for the permanent teeth to grow when she gets to around six.

Rhi86 · 28/02/2022 18:59

My little girl's front tooth went grey when she fell over and landed on it. I was also gutted as she was only 2 at the time so it felt like a long time to wait until adult teeth arrived! However over the course of several months it did whiten again - not to 100% what it was and still tinged a little grey but not so much that I notice it every time I look at her any more! I'm not sure other people would notice now either. But yes, it took maybe 6 months?

Greyingmumto3 · 28/02/2022 19:05

My daughter banged her front tooth and went grey . It did eventually return to white ( saw a dentist who said it could go either way )

CombatBarbie · 28/02/2022 19:27

DD was 3 when she banged her front teeth, both went grey and back to white and then fell out and started the teeth process early.... The rest fell out very quickly. Def was bizarre seeing a 5yr old starting school with most of her adult teeth 🙈

MadameHeisenberg · 28/02/2022 19:44

My son’s just done the same thing. The paediatrician said it will stay that way until it falls out.

Soubriquet · 28/02/2022 19:44

I had one as a child. When it fell out, my adult tooth grew through white

20viona · 28/02/2022 19:45

No

margegunderson · 28/02/2022 19:47

My DSs went white again. It can happen.

Original poster
bluebabydinosaur · 28/02/2022 20:58

Thank you so much for your replies. Glad to hear some went white again but I think I have to accept the grey is to stay as it does seem to be rare. I have a friend who is a very good dentist who says they should return to white and her own daughters did but like many others I just can’t see how that’s possible. I will most certainly update if they do. If I’d have just got to that seesaw a moment earlier!!! I was distracted! Uggggh!
Also I wondered could it still fall out or would that have happened by now?

Thank you for your replies. It’s really helped.

OP posts:
MiniatureHotdog · 28/02/2022 21:13

My DC whacked one of her two front teeth around 3. It went grey. I took her to the dentist to check over. They said it might go white again, I'm surprised by those saying their dentist hadn't heard of it as mine said it was common.

It did indeed go perfectly white again over the course of 6 months or so Smile It stayed white until it fell out about 4 years later and the adult tooth is fine Smile

So I'd tell yourself it'll go white again in a few months. If it does, yay! If it doesn't, you'll have gotten used to the grey by then Smile

OnSilverStars · 28/02/2022 21:20

My dc's tooth went grey after a fall and went back to white!

All those saying no... 😂

scatteredglitter · 28/02/2022 22:10

Dh is a dentist.
Dd had this, he said it s fairly
Common kids bumping their front tooth, in some cases it s like a bruise that resorbs and can go away, it faded from grey to white. DN however wasn't as lucky and bumped same
Location tooth but it stayed grey until
It fell out.

FourCandelabras · 28/02/2022 22:24

My 4 year old’s tooth was super grey and slightly wobbly after a fall, but firmed up and went completely white again after a month or two. There is hope! (Gentle brushing with lots of toothpaste, and very careful with things like whole apples for a while!)

TopTabby · 28/02/2022 23:51

Yes, my dd's tooth turned back to white after she took a nasty tumble & landed on her face whe she was almost 3. It was awful & her tooth went grey very quickly.

After about 4 months I noticed it was gradually changing to white again. The dentist had to double check his records at her check up.
So it definitely can happen, hope your ds is ok.
Just to add the dentist did say a grey milk tooth was unlikely to mean an adult tooth would be damaged.

TopTabby · 28/02/2022 23:55

@onSilverStars
Is it beyond your comprehension that others may have a different experience to you?

SplashinginPuddles1 · 01/03/2022 00:19

My son had a grey front baby tooth. Fell and knocked it. Teeth well looked after and never needed any fillings. Thankfully his adult teeth are perfect.