1987 Volume 12 Issue 2 Pages 217-221
We had an opportunity to make an oral examination of a 93 years-old woman who still conntinues the old custom of blacking her teeth. A summary is herewith reported, along with an addition of some bibliographic and clinical considerations.
There is a traditional tale from ancient times that women who black their teeth rarely have dental caries.
Our opinions concerning oral examination of the patient were that there were 26 residual teeth and dental caries were not found, however slight mobility was acknowledged in all teeth. A slightly decayed gingiva due to periodontitis and gingival restractlon was acknowledged in one molar tooth. Bone resorption was observed by X-ray diagnosis.
It seems that there were preventive agents in the tooth black that made such conditions possible even at such a great age.
