Children with Black gums?
So, I'm an ESL teacher in Russia, and I've noticed that some of the kids have black marks on their gums near their teeth.
of my colleagues told me that she asked her boss about it, and they said that it was something a dentist did to stop something like gum decay.
the dentist had to burn the gums, or something. To me, that sounds somewhat like gingivitis, or something. Although, I'm not entirely sure I trust what she told me, as it seems a little strange. Also, she might have gotten it wrong, as they might have had a translation miscommunication.
anyone have any clue about this? Thanks for the suggestions so far, however, I doubt that it's “amalgam tattoo” stuff or cavities near the gumline, because one of my students (like 6 years old) had a black mark show up on the gum above one of his front teeth, and by the next class, his tooth (baby tooth) had fallen out. However, it's not something that they do to make a baby tooth fall out, because one student has had the marks for the last month and a half.
other ideas? Anyone know if it's possible that it's some sort of chemical cauterization to stop gum disease? Or, perhaps a type of laser cauterization process?
