As a parent, you can anticipate that your children’s baby teeth will become loose and start to fall out sometime between the ages of 5 and 7. But what does it mean if a child’s tooth turns grey and doesn’t fall out? Here’s what you should know.
What Can Cause a Baby Tooth to Change Colour?
Dark discolouration in baby teeth usually results from a fall or accident that caused trauma to the tooth. Damage to the blood vessels that connect to the tooth can cause it to turn a dark colour such as black, grey, brown or purple. Typically, the tooth changes colour a few weeks after the original incident, which is why many parents are alarmed when they first notice the discolouration.
Most of the time, a discoloured baby tooth will get better on its own. As long as the tooth doesn’t become infected, it will fall out when the child gets older, and a healthy adult tooth will grow in its place. In some cases, however, the pulp inside the tooth dies as a result of the trauma and caused the tooth to become abscessed. In this situation, the infected tooth will most likely need to be extracted as root canals are generally not recommended for baby teeth.
What Should You Do If Your Child’s Tooth Turns Grey
If you notice discolouration in your child’s tooth, monitor the situation closely for signs of infection, including fever, swelling in the face and gums, and persistent pain. If you suspect the tooth is infected, treat the situation as a dental emergency and see a dentist right away.
Even if you don’t spot signs of infection, it’s a good idea to book an appointment with your family dentist to have them look at the discoloured tooth. This way they can assess the damage and determine whether it will need to be removed. A dentist can answer all your questions about what may have caused the discolouration and what to look for to ensure that it heals well.
Visit a Kid-Friendly Dentist in SE Calgary
At Forest Lawn Dental Centre, we provide dentistry for the whole family. We’ve put in place strict sanitization measures so that we can continue to safely deliver dental care to you and your kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. To make an appointment with a family dentist in SE Calgary, contact us today.