Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025
05:42
Detection and Removal of Tooth-Colored Composite Resin Using the Fluorescence-Aided Identification Technique
Published on: July 27, 2022
4.2K
Postmortem pink teeth. Histochemical identification of the causative pigment
1Oral and Dental Research Institute, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, Republic of South Africa.
Summary
Postmortem pink teeth in corpses exposed to moisture are caused by undegraded hemoglobin. This finding helps forensic science understand postmortem changes in teeth.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Odontology
- Postmortem Changes
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Postmortem pink teeth is a phenomenon observed in bodies exposed to moist environments after sudden, unnatural death.
- The exact pigment responsible for this coloration has not been definitively identified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the pigment responsible for postmortem pink staining of teeth.
- To investigate the potential role of various pigments, including hemoglobin, hemosiderin, bile, and porphyrins.
Main Methods:
- Examination of ground and EDTA-decalcified tooth sections from 21 corpses with pink-stained teeth.
- Application of histochemical methods and ultraviolet microscopy for pigment identification.
Main Results:
- Undegraded hemoglobin was identified as the causative pigment in postmortem pink teeth.
- Hemosiderin, bile pigments, and porphyrins were ruled out as the staining agents.
- Histochemical techniques could not determine the specific form of the hemoglobin.
Conclusions:
- The pink coloration of teeth postmortem is attributed to undegraded hemoglobin.
- Factors such as cause or time of death did not influence hemoglobin staining reactions in teeth.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise form and mechanism of hemoglobin deposition.
