Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging

Pawan Mittal

doi:doi:10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging

Pawan Mittal

Published in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Volume 5, Issue 1)

Received: 4 January 2021 Accepted: 12 January 2021 Published: 22 January 2021

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Abstract

A postmortem case of suicide by hanging is described where pink teeth and pink nails were found during autopsy. One highly putrefied dead body belonging to a middle aged man was found hanging from the branch of a tree amidst a forest. Multiple permanent teeth and bilateral little fingernails displayed pink discolorations. After considering the circumstances of the case and autopsy findings including the ambiguity over pink tissue phenomenon, the cause of death was finally given as ante mortem hanging. The pink teeth phenomenon [PTP] is an infrequent and dubiously explained finding in forensic literature while a single case report exists in relation to pink nails. Although many authors have stressed that post-mortem pink teeth should not be considered as a reliable dental parameter for determining the cause of death, the results of other studies have shown that the pink teeth commonly occur in cases of asphyxia such as strangulation, drowning or suffocation. The finding, although initially related to an intravitam cranial congestion, was subsequently refuted on account of its discovery in non-asphyxial and other modes of deaths. A potential role of postmortem hypostatic congestion in this regard has been proposed especially in drowned corpses due to their frequent floatation in a head down position. A moist and humid environmental milieu along with certain degree of putrefaction has been considered as a prerequisite for the enhancement of the process. The repeated discovery of the finding in autopsy cases has been almost a continuing conundrum for the pathologists. The pink tissue phenomenon mandates a sound and goal oriented investigation in order to clarify its role in ascertaining the cause of death.

Published in	Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Volume 5, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
Page(s)	1-5
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Pink Teeth, Pink Nail, Dentine, Asphyxia, Hemoglobin, Congestion

References

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Pawan Mittal. (2021). Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 5(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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ACS Style

Pawan Mittal. Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathol. Lab. Med. 2021, 5(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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AMA Style

Pawan Mittal. Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathol Lab Med. 2021;5(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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@article{10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11,
  author = {Pawan Mittal},
  title = {Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging},
  journal = {Pathology and Laboratory Medicine},
  volume = {5},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-5},
  doi = {10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.plm.20210501.11},
  abstract = {A postmortem case of suicide by hanging is described where pink teeth and pink nails were found during autopsy. One highly putrefied dead body belonging to a middle aged man was found hanging from the branch of a tree amidst a forest. Multiple permanent teeth and bilateral little fingernails displayed pink discolorations. After considering the circumstances of the case and autopsy findings including the ambiguity over pink tissue phenomenon, the cause of death was finally given as ante mortem hanging. The pink teeth phenomenon [PTP] is an infrequent and dubiously explained finding in forensic literature while a single case report exists in relation to pink nails. Although many authors have stressed that post-mortem pink teeth should not be considered as a reliable dental parameter for determining the cause of death, the results of other studies have shown that the pink teeth commonly occur in cases of asphyxia such as strangulation, drowning or suffocation. The finding, although initially related to an intravitam cranial congestion, was subsequently refuted on account of its discovery in non-asphyxial and other modes of deaths. A potential role of postmortem hypostatic congestion in this regard has been proposed especially in drowned corpses due to their frequent floatation in a head down position. A moist and humid environmental milieu along with certain degree of putrefaction has been considered as a prerequisite for the enhancement of the process. The repeated discovery of the finding in autopsy cases has been almost a continuing conundrum for the pathologists. The pink tissue phenomenon mandates a sound and goal oriented investigation in order to clarify its role in ascertaining the cause of death.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging
AU  - Pawan Mittal
Y1  - 2021/01/22
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
T2  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
JF  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
JO  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
SP  - 1
EP  - 5
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2640-4478
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
AB  - A postmortem case of suicide by hanging is described where pink teeth and pink nails were found during autopsy. One highly putrefied dead body belonging to a middle aged man was found hanging from the branch of a tree amidst a forest. Multiple permanent teeth and bilateral little fingernails displayed pink discolorations. After considering the circumstances of the case and autopsy findings including the ambiguity over pink tissue phenomenon, the cause of death was finally given as ante mortem hanging. The pink teeth phenomenon [PTP] is an infrequent and dubiously explained finding in forensic literature while a single case report exists in relation to pink nails. Although many authors have stressed that post-mortem pink teeth should not be considered as a reliable dental parameter for determining the cause of death, the results of other studies have shown that the pink teeth commonly occur in cases of asphyxia such as strangulation, drowning or suffocation. The finding, although initially related to an intravitam cranial congestion, was subsequently refuted on account of its discovery in non-asphyxial and other modes of deaths. A potential role of postmortem hypostatic congestion in this regard has been proposed especially in drowned corpses due to their frequent floatation in a head down position. A moist and humid environmental milieu along with certain degree of putrefaction has been considered as a prerequisite for the enhancement of the process. The repeated discovery of the finding in autopsy cases has been almost a continuing conundrum for the pathologists. The pink tissue phenomenon mandates a sound and goal oriented investigation in order to clarify its role in ascertaining the cause of death.
VL  - 5
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Pawan Mittal

Demonstrator, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College for Women, Sonipat, India

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Pawan Mittal. (2021). Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 5(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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ACS Style

Pawan Mittal. Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathol. Lab. Med. 2021, 5(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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AMA Style

Pawan Mittal. Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging. Pathol Lab Med. 2021;5(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11

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@article{10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11,
  author = {Pawan Mittal},
  title = {Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging},
  journal = {Pathology and Laboratory Medicine},
  volume = {5},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-5},
  doi = {10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.plm.20210501.11},
  abstract = {A postmortem case of suicide by hanging is described where pink teeth and pink nails were found during autopsy. One highly putrefied dead body belonging to a middle aged man was found hanging from the branch of a tree amidst a forest. Multiple permanent teeth and bilateral little fingernails displayed pink discolorations. After considering the circumstances of the case and autopsy findings including the ambiguity over pink tissue phenomenon, the cause of death was finally given as ante mortem hanging. The pink teeth phenomenon [PTP] is an infrequent and dubiously explained finding in forensic literature while a single case report exists in relation to pink nails. Although many authors have stressed that post-mortem pink teeth should not be considered as a reliable dental parameter for determining the cause of death, the results of other studies have shown that the pink teeth commonly occur in cases of asphyxia such as strangulation, drowning or suffocation. The finding, although initially related to an intravitam cranial congestion, was subsequently refuted on account of its discovery in non-asphyxial and other modes of deaths. A potential role of postmortem hypostatic congestion in this regard has been proposed especially in drowned corpses due to their frequent floatation in a head down position. A moist and humid environmental milieu along with certain degree of putrefaction has been considered as a prerequisite for the enhancement of the process. The repeated discovery of the finding in autopsy cases has been almost a continuing conundrum for the pathologists. The pink tissue phenomenon mandates a sound and goal oriented investigation in order to clarify its role in ascertaining the cause of death.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Post Mortem Pink Teeth and Pseudo Pink Nails in a Case of Suicidal Hanging
AU  - Pawan Mittal
Y1  - 2021/01/22
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
T2  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
JF  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
JO  - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
SP  - 1
EP  - 5
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2640-4478
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plm.20210501.11
AB  - A postmortem case of suicide by hanging is described where pink teeth and pink nails were found during autopsy. One highly putrefied dead body belonging to a middle aged man was found hanging from the branch of a tree amidst a forest. Multiple permanent teeth and bilateral little fingernails displayed pink discolorations. After considering the circumstances of the case and autopsy findings including the ambiguity over pink tissue phenomenon, the cause of death was finally given as ante mortem hanging. The pink teeth phenomenon [PTP] is an infrequent and dubiously explained finding in forensic literature while a single case report exists in relation to pink nails. Although many authors have stressed that post-mortem pink teeth should not be considered as a reliable dental parameter for determining the cause of death, the results of other studies have shown that the pink teeth commonly occur in cases of asphyxia such as strangulation, drowning or suffocation. The finding, although initially related to an intravitam cranial congestion, was subsequently refuted on account of its discovery in non-asphyxial and other modes of deaths. A potential role of postmortem hypostatic congestion in this regard has been proposed especially in drowned corpses due to their frequent floatation in a head down position. A moist and humid environmental milieu along with certain degree of putrefaction has been considered as a prerequisite for the enhancement of the process. The repeated discovery of the finding in autopsy cases has been almost a continuing conundrum for the pathologists. The pink tissue phenomenon mandates a sound and goal oriented investigation in order to clarify its role in ascertaining the cause of death.
VL  - 5
IS  - 1
ER  -

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