If you have a tooth that is turning gray, the discoloration can affect your appearance and be distressing. A gray tooth may look darker than the other teeth and have a bluish, greenish, or blackish tinge.

Understanding the potential causes of a gray tooth is crucial for maintaining dental health and seeking appropriate care. So why is your tooth turning gray? Here are a few potential causes.

Dental Trauma

Dental trauma is one of the most common reasons for a tooth turning gray. When a tooth experiences a significant impact, such as a blow to the face, it can cause internal bleeding and subsequent discoloration due to the breakdown of red blood cells.

Common types of dental trauma include:

• A sports injury, especially if the patient was not wearing a mouthguard.
• A fall, such as falling down the stairs or off a scooter or bike.
• A car accident that involves an impact to the face or jaw.

This discoloration typically manifests as a gray or darker shade in the affected tooth. Patients who have experienced trauma to their tooth or teeth may see the discoloration instantly, as may be the case with a bruised tooth, or the discoloration may come on gradually after the incident [1].

Fortunately, tooth discoloration due to physical trauma is typically reversible with treatment.

Pulp Necrosis

Pulp necrosis is another name for the death of the tooth’s inner tissue. This tissue keeps a tooth healthy and alive, but when the tissue dies or becomes infected, it can lead to a gray appearance in the tooth.

This condition typically happens due to untreated cavities, infections, or dental trauma, and it causes the tooth to lose vitality and color. In cases of pulp necrosis, the tooth may appear gray or even black, but the color can typically be restored with treatment.

Tetracycline Staining

The use of tetracycline antibiotics during early childhood—usually before age eight—can cause permanent staining of the teeth. This pharmaceutical-induced discoloration can manifest as gray, brown, or yellow hues, and it often affects multiple teeth.

Although staining from tetracycline typically happens before the eruption of all the permanent teeth, adults can experience gray teeth from tetracycline if they take this medication long term [2].

It’s important to follow up with your dentist and physician if you have concerns about tooth discoloration when taking this medication.

Dental Restorations

People with amalgam fillings, also known as silver or metal fillings, may experience discoloration in the affected teeth. Since teeth are translucent, the color of the filling may show through the teeth, giving them a grayish, or sometimes blue-gray, appearance.

It’s also possible that your tooth is turning gray because of an old amalgam filling that needs to be replaced [3]. Fillings don’t last forever, so maintaining them with your dentist is important to keep your smile looking its best.

There Is Treatment for Gray Teeth

A gray tooth can certainly be alarming, but with professional dental care and appropriate treatment, it’s possible to address the underlying cause and improve the appearance and health of the affected tooth. If you’re seeing discoloration in one or more of your teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist to identify the cause and restore your smile!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9968380/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15485524/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8860028/