Black line on bottom of teeth?!

Black line on bottom of teeth?

I brush my teeth fairly regularly, two or three times a day, but I noticed that, on my bottom row, a thin black line has started building up, as well as a slightly more faint one on the tops of my upper row, closer to the gums. I do not have black marks any where else on any of my teeth, just thin lines I am unaccustomed to close to the gums.

While I do brush my teeth on a very constant basis, I do not floss very often (though I doubt it relates), and it has been a while since I have gone to a dentist for a cleaning.

Is it anything serious? Temporary? What do I need to do to get rid of them?

It sounds as though you probably have tartar buildup. It forms when you don't brush all the plaque off your teeth. It's important to be sure that you brush along your gumline. Flossing plays a very important role in oral hygiene. It removes the plaque between your teeth that your toothbrush can't get. Chances are that since you don't floss regularly, you probably have tartar between your teeth too... you just can't see it. Anyways, you really should schedule an appointment to see a dentist. Even though it SOUNDS like it's tartar build-up, you want to be sure it's not decay. The only way to know for sure is to have a dental exam. I hope that's all it is... that can easily be taken care of with a good, thorough cleaning.