Why did my daughter's tooth turn grey after her dentist appointment?

Answer: tooth turning grey

By Sarah h
Dental Professional

The size of the hole on the surface of your daughters tooth, cannot determine the extent of decay within the tooth. Many times a pinhole cavity can blow out inside the tooth resulting in irreversible pulpitis. Even though you have been taking care of the outside of the tooth, the decay process was continuing inside her tooth. Dental caries will continue to destroy healthy tooth structure until it reaches the nerve. When this happens the nerve tissue dies and along with the blood vessels becomes dark and decomposes. This may or may not be the case with your daughter. A simple periapical radiograph will determine the amount of decay present and what if any restoration is needed. If the necrotic tissue is not removed, by performing a root canal, the tooth can become grey in color. Most likely this is what is happening to your daughter and it was just coincidence that it began changing after the application of fluoride varnish (yellow sticky material). It is highly unlikely, impossible even, that the dentist or staff was able to promote a rapid decay process overnight.