My Tooth Is Gray!

What Causes Gray Teeth?

There are several different reasons why teeth may show up as gray.

• An accident with the tooth. This is most common with kids where they are running around and bump one of their front teeth. This trauma causes some bleeding within the tooth which stains the tooth from the inside out. It is very similar to a bruise.
• Amalgam fillings. An amalgam filling on one portion of a tooth can create a situation in which the entire tooth looks gray.
• Decay underneath. If only a portion of the tooth has turned gray and not the entire tooth, it is very likely there is some large decay underneath. Get to a dentist ASAP!
• If all your teeth are gray and have been for as long as you can remember, it may just have been how they came in. Certain medications taken in childhood can cause this as well.

What To Do About Gray Teeth?

• With baby teeth, grayness is not a cause for concern. Generally these teeth do just fine until they come out on their own.
• Teeth stained with amalgam would need removal and replacement of the amalgam filling. Sometimes this will make the grayness go away but other times it has stained deep within the tooth and can’t easily be removed.
• Teeth with decay will need the decay removed and a filling or crown placed. Once the decay is removed, it will no longer appear gray.
• Permanent teeth that have turned gray from an accident are difficult to change the color because they are literally stained from the inside out. Oftentimes these teeth end up needing a root canal or have already had one. For teeth with root canals a procedure known as internal bleaching can be done to help whiten the stain from the inside out. Results are mixed with this procedure.
• Teeth whitening with the KOR Deep Bleaching system can oftentimes create good results in reducing the grayness.
• The last option for gray permanent teeth is to have a veneer or crown done to mask the gray on the tooth.