In 1829, Thomas Bell was the first to notice the pink teeth phenomenon. The pink tooth phenomenon (PTP) is a thanatological finding that can be discovered during a medical or dental autopsy. The PTP was first linked to specific violent fatalities such as drowning, hanging, and poisoning. Scientific investigations have suggested that PTP can arise as a result of cadaveric decomposition regardless of the reason for death. Pink teeth can be seen on the incisors, canines, and premolars. The root of the tooth has a more pronounced discolouration than the coronal area.
• Van Wyk (1987) discovered that the heme group is responsible for the existence of coloured pigments that cause postmortem pink teeth; this heme group is found in haemoglobin, porphyrins, hemosiderins, bile, and pigments associated with it.
The postmortem pink staining is most likely caused by haemoglobin pigment. It can be found in a variety of forms after death, including oxyhemoglobin, decreased haemoglobin, meth-haemoglobin, hematin, and hemochromogen.
• Pulp polyps, internal resorption, caries, and blood extravasations into the dentin following trauma are some of the other causes of pink teeth (Zheng et al 2003). Ceramic teeth, for example, may seem pink in some cases. Pink discolourations have also been linked to lepromatous leprosy, trimipramine toxicity, hypothermia, and pneumonia in individuals. Barbiturate toxicity has also been observed to cause pink teeth. Thermal injury can cause teeth to turn pink, however, this is dependent on the temperature and duration of the heat, as seen in burn instances(Dhatterwal and Rai 2006, Endris and Berrsche 1985, Hale 2001).
Very few scientific publications are available on this matter to provide a thorough understanding of the role of the pink tooth phenomenon in death cause investigations in forensic science. But the research still continues in the field of forensic thanatology.
Author : Dr Pankti Patel
National Forensic Sciences University
Volunteer at AFRS
