Black Teeth: Stains, Other Causes, And Treatment - Medical News Today

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Why do teeth turn black?

Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — Written by Jon Johnson — Updated on May 30, 2023

Causes
Symptoms
Prevention
Treatment
Takeaway

Black teeth can occur for numerous reasons. An underlying decay or cavities may begin as black spots. Different foods and drinks can also leave behind a bit of pigment, causing the teeth to turn black.

Teeth owe their color to the high amount of calcium found in the outer layer of the teeth, known as the enamel.

Over time, additional elements left behind by foods and drinks can start to make teeth yellow or gray. However, if the teeth turn black, a person should visit a dentist as soon as possible.

What causes teeth to turn black?

Young woman drinking cup of coffee — Oliver Rossi/Getty Images

Teeth consist of three layers:

Enamel: This is the hard outer layer of the tooth.
Dentin: Dentin is the layer beneath a tooth’s enamel. It contains micriscopic tubes that allow heat, cold, and acid to stimulate nerve endings. Damage to enamel can expose dentin.
Pulp: This is the centre of the tooth. The pulp of the tooth contains blood veseels, connective tissue, and nerves.

Teeth will appear black due to discoloration of the enamel. Teeth can turn black from either external or internal causes.

External causes

External causes of teeth turning black come from the outside of the tooth.

These can include:

damage to the enamel
stains
tartar buildup

Some direct causes of staining include:

frequently eating or drinking a dark food product, such as coffee
taking certain medications, such as liquid iron supplements
using certain mouth rinses and toothpastes
using tobacco
having crowns and fillings made with silver sulfide

Internal causes

The tooth may also appear black when damage occurs from the inside. The most common causes of black teeth in these cases are decay or cavities. For example, a tooth with a pulp infection or a dead tooth may turn black.

The damage starts on the inside and works its way to the surface. The black color of the tooth may first appear in spots and eventually cover the entire tooth if a person does not seek treatment.

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Symptoms

It is unusual for a tooth to quickly change from a whitish hue to black. A person will typically notice some other signs before the tooth starts to turn black.

A person’s teeth may become more sensitive, resulting in pain when eating or drinking, before teeth discolor. The teeth may also develop small dots that appear black, often near the gum line. This is a common occurrence in children who have black teeth.

When tartar is the cause, a person will probably notice black coloration on the outside of the molars or the inside of the front teeth. Tartar will continue to build up the stain unless a dentist removes it. In these cases, holes may appear as the enamel erodes.

Preventing stains

People concerned about developing black teeth should be sure to practice proper dental hygiene. This includes:

brushing teeth twice a day with flouride toothpaste
cleaning between the teeth with floss or interdental cleaners daily
attending regular dentist check ups

People may also benefit from avoiding or reducing their intake of the following:

coffee
cola
black tea
red wine
tobacco products

Treatment

It is not usually possible to get rid of black teeth at home. Home whitening kits may help with mild discoloration, but black teeth typically require professional treatment.

A dentist will examine the teeth to diagnose the underlying cause and determine the right treatment.

What if tartar is the cause?

A dentist will need to remove the buildup when tartar is the cause, typically by scraping the tartar off the teeth. The dentist may need to use ultrasonic instruments that use vibration to break up the tartar and make it easier to remove.

Learn more about tartar and plaque removal here.

What if decay is the cause?

In cases of decay, it is unlikely that a dentist will be able to improve the black teeth through a simple cleaning. They will instead need to remove the decayed portion of the tooth.

When is removal neccesary?

Sometimes a dentist will have to remove black teeth.

If the decay is in one part of the tooth, the dentist might be able to remove the affected portion and close the hole with a filling. If the decay has reached a large section of the tooth, the dentist will remove all the decay and place a crown over the top of the tooth.

However, if the damage to the tooth is too severe to recover with a crown or filling, the dentist may need to remove the entire tooth instead.

Learn more about tooth extraction here.

Takeaway

A dentist can determine if a tooth has turned black due to staining, tartar buildup, or decay. People will need professional help to treat the black teeth, no matter the cause.

Practicing proper dental hygiene can help prevent black teeth. After having a black tooth removed, a person may never have black teeth again with proper care.

Dentistry

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Home oral care. (2018).https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/home-care
Tooth decay. (2019).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Dental-decay/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Tooth decay. (2019).https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/OralHealthInformation/ChildrensOralHealth/ToothDecayProcess.htm
Tooth decay. (n.d.).https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/d/decay
Tooth. (n.d.).https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/t/tooth

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Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — Written by Jon Johnson — Updated on May 30, 2023

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