What Happens When a Tooth Dies?

September 23, 2022
| Calvin Bennet

Written by Calvin Bennet · Updated September 2026

Yes, a tooth can die from being hit. A hard blow can damage the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth (the pulp) and cut off its blood supply, so the pulp dies — leaving a “non-vital” or dead tooth. It doesn’t happen to every injured tooth, and it can set in within weeks or take months to years. The most common sign is the tooth slowly darkening. A dead tooth won’t heal on its own, so it’s worth getting checked.

Can a Tooth Die From Being Hit?

A blow to the mouth — from a fall, sports, or an accident — can injure the pulp inside a tooth (the soft core of nerves and blood vessels). If the trauma cuts off the pulp’s blood supply, the pulp can die, leaving a non-vital (dead) tooth. This doesn’t happen to every knocked or bumped tooth — pulp death develops in only a share of injured teeth — but because it can happen, any significant hit to a tooth is worth having a dentist check.

How long does it take? It varies. Pulp death often appears within about six months of the injury, but it can also develop slowly over months or even years. That’s why a tooth that looked fine right after a hit can darken much later.

Signs to watch for after a tooth injury:

Discoloration — the tooth gradually turns gray, brown, or black. This is the most common sign of a dead tooth.
Pain — anywhere from none to a lingering ache, depending on the injury.
No symptoms at all — some dead teeth are painless and are only caught by the color change or on an x-ray.

If a tooth is knocked out completely, treat it as a dental emergency and see a dentist immediately. For a tooth that has already died, the usual treatments are a root canal to save it or, if it can’t be saved, extraction.

When a tooth dies, what happens to it? Is there anything that can be done to save it? In this blog post, we will explore the answers to these questions, as well as discovering how this can occur in the first place.

How Long Does It Take for a Tooth to Die?

There’s no single timeline — a tooth can die within days of a severe injury or take months to years after a milder one. When trauma cuts off the pulp’s blood supply completely, the pulp can die within a few days to a couple of weeks. More often it loses vitality slowly, and the first sign (like the tooth darkening) doesn’t appear until months or even years later.

Roughly, here’s how the timing tends to break down:

Days to weeks: a severe knock that fully cuts off blood flow can kill the pulp quickly.
Within about 6 months: the most common window for pulp death to show up after a traumatic injury.
Months to years later: a milder injury can slowly kill the pulp, so a tooth that seemed fine can darken or start aching long afterward.
From decay or infection: an untreated cavity can reach and kill the pulp over months, depending on how fast it spreads.

Because the timing varies so much, any injured or discolored tooth is worth a dental check — a dentist can test whether the pulp is still alive and catch a dying tooth before it becomes painful.

Is My Tooth Dying?

A tooth can die due to the nerves in its inner layer (the pulp) becoming damaged and no longer providing a fresh blood supply to the tooth. One of the first and most noticeable symptoms of a non-vital tooth is discoloration. Teeth that are healthy are normally a shade of white, or off-white depending on your oral hygiene and the foods you consume. If a tooth has discoloration due to the nerve dying, it will be a completely different color compared to the rest of your teeth. A dying tooth is usually yellow, light brown, gray, or even black.

Another symptom of a dying tooth is some level of pain, either from the dying nerve or from a possible infection. If you are experiencing other symptoms such as bad breath, a bad taste in your mouth, or gum swelling, alongside of your pain then you may have an infection as well. If you are experiencing any symptoms of a dying tooth, it is best to consult your dentist right away in order to get ahead before symptoms worsen.

How Does a Tooth Die in the First Place?

One of the main causes of a tooth dying is trauma or injury. For example, being hit in the mouth or hitting your mouth against something can cause it to die. In some cases, the tooth may die quickly over a few days, but there are some scenarios where the decay can take place over several months, even years. Another reason for the death of a tooth is poor dental hygiene. Improper care of your teeth can lead to cavities, which can slowly destroy your tooth if left untreated. These cause the pulp to become infected, cutting off blood flow, resulting in a painful decay of the tooth.

What do I do if I have a Dead/Dying Tooth?

If left untreated, bacteria from a dead tooth can lead to the loss of other teeth, as well as possibly affect your gums and jaw. There are a few options that your dentist might consider to treat your tooth:

Root Canal

If your dentist decides a root canal is the best option for you, you will be able to keep your original tooth. A root canal is a procedure in which a dentist makes an opening in the tooth and removes the pulp to get rid of the infection. After removing the pulp, a permanent filling is used to seal the roots and the opening. If the enamel was damaged due to the infection, a crown will likely be used to permanently cover the exterior of the tooth since it will become brittle over time. If a crown is not needed, teeth whitening methods can be used to try and match the color back to the rest of your teeth.

Extraction

If your tooth is unable to be restored with a root canal, your dentist may decide to remove it in its entirety. This means that during the procedure, they will extract the dead tooth and, if you choose to do so, replace it with an implant or denture. There are different options available to you when it comes to what kind of replacement you want to use for the tooth.

Tips to Prevent a Dying Tooth

Although sometimes a dead tooth can be out of your control, there are some thing you can do to reduce the risk of this occurring:

Have routine checkups at your dentist in order to catch the problem early, bettering your chances of being able to fix it.
The cleaner of a diet you have, the less likely you are to experience tooth decay due to sugary foods.
Practice good oral hygiene to prevent bacteria and infections.
If you are participating in an activity that might result in trauma to the mouth, wear a mouthguard if possible.

Whether your tooth is dying due to a freak accident, or not telling the dentist the truth on how often you brush your teeth, there are options on how to ease the pain and fix it. The number one fix to anything is prevention. Make sure you are visiting your dentist every six months to catch problems early, and are paying attention to any symptomatic warning signs that your teeth are giving you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a tooth die from being hit?

Yes. A hard blow can damage the pulp inside a tooth and cut off its blood supply, causing the tooth to die. It does not happen to every injured tooth, but any significant hit is worth having a dentist check.

How long does it take for a tooth to die after trauma?

It varies. Pulp death often shows up within about six months of the injury, but it can also develop slowly over months to years – so a tooth that seemed fine can darken much later.

What does a dead tooth look like?

A dead tooth commonly darkens over time, turning gray, brown, or black as the pulp breaks down. This discoloration is often the first noticeable sign.

Can a dead tooth be saved?

A dead tooth will not recover on its own, but a dentist can often save it with a root canal. If it cannot be saved, extraction is the alternative.