My child was born with teeth, what's going on?

Normal deciduous teeth usually erupt about 6 months after birth, but some children's deciduous teeth erupt too early, even at birth. These teeth are called "natal teeth."

1. The appearance of natal teeth

The most common location for natal teeth to occur is the lower front teeth, followed by the upper front teeth and upper back teeth. The crown shape and size are similar to those of normal deciduous teeth, but the tooth structure is poorly developed and the surface mineralization is poor. The roots are generally underdeveloped or incompletely developed, and there is no alveolar bone support around the roots, which are only connected to the mucoperiosteum, so they are easy to loosen and fall off.

2. Harm of natal teeth

Natal teeth usually do not cause any symptoms, but they can often lead to complications:

(1) When the tooth first erupts, the cutting edge is sharp. When the child sucks on the nipple, the tooth repeatedly rubs against the tongue, which can easily cause ulcers, resulting in pain, crying, infection and feeding difficulties for the child.

(2) Biting the mother’s nipple during breastfeeding.

(3) Extremely loose ones may fall off and may lead to accidental swallowing or aspiration, which is life-threatening.

3. Treatment of natal teeth

If the natal teeth do not cause complications, they can be retained and observed to facilitate the growth and eruption of adjacent teeth; but if they cause the above-mentioned complications, they should be removed in time at the hospital.

summary

(1) Natal teeth are most commonly found in the lower front teeth area. Their structure is poorly developed and they are prone to loosening and falling off.

(2) Natal teeth can easily cause ulcers on the tongue and belly of the child, and can easily cause the child to bite the mother's nipple during breastfeeding. In addition, extremely loose teeth may fall off, be swallowed or inhaled, and may be life-threatening.

(3) If the natal teeth do not cause complications, they can be retained and observed. However, if they cause complications, they should be removed in a timely manner in a hospital.

About the Author

Lv Yue, a dentist at Beijing Children's Hospital, graduated from Peking University School of Stomatology with a doctorate in pediatric dentistry. She is mainly engaged in the treatment of pediatric oral diseases such as dental caries and pulp disease.