Pink teeth and the Dead: A review with reports of two cases

Abstract

Pink teeth can occur in the living or as a postmortem phenomenon. In the context of forensic pathology, pink teeth are most commonly found in asphyxial deaths like drowning and strangulation; sudden and unnatural deaths, drug intoxications and carbon monoxide toxicity. However, their pathognomonic value is still doubtful as there is no obvious connection between the cause of death and this non specific phenomenon. The surrounding humid or wet environment appears to be essential in their formation. The process behind pink staining is hemolysis of erythrocytes and subsequent diffusion of hemoglobin pigment and/or its derivatives into the dentine tubules. A time delay is suggested between death and the occurrence of pink phenomenon. Two cases of putrefied corpses are described who died due to drowning and ligature strangulation, respectively. The autopsy revealed pink coloration of all the teeth in both cases which was more marked at their neck and cementum-enamel junction. The current view on the underlying chemical process, relation to the cause of death and the factors affecting the pink teeth phenomenon are explained with the help of both cases.