What Causes Delays in My Baby’s Tooth Eruption?

Parents usually see a baby’s first tooth eruption as a major milestone in their baby’s life. You might see the first tiny pearly white bud in the gumline as signal’s the arrival of your baby’s first tooth.

The age of tooth eruption considerably varies from baby to baby. However, if you wait month after month for the tooth to erupt, you may feel worried as you imagine your child toothless for a long time. There are several factors causing delay in tooth emergence. However, this delay is not something to be anxious about – there may be underlying causes for such condition in some babies.

What’s Normal Tooth Eruption?

Infants are born with most of their teeth already developed within their gums. They typically start to emerge by the age of six months. First to appear are the two lower front teeth, followed by the four upper front teeth and then the two lower front teeth. In general, the rest arrive two at a time – one on each side. By the age of three, almost all kids have a complete set of 20 primary teeth.

When is a Delay Considered Abnormal?

The normal range for the appearance of the first tooth is between four and 15 months. Most kids have four teeth by the time they’re 11 months old. At 15 months, the baby will have 8 teeth, 12 teeth at 19 months, 16 teeth at 23 months and 20 teeth at 27 months.  If your baby has no teeth by age of 18 months, he/she should be taken to see a dentist, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests.

Permanent teeth starts to emerge around six years of age. Teeth that don’t follow this normal tooth eruption pattern are not necessarily a concern, but having no teeth at all may signify a more serious concern in some cases.

Causes of Delayed Tooth Eruption

There are several reasons why a child’s tooth emerge beyond the normal schedule. In some cases, late tooth eruption could just be a family trait. Premature birth and low birth weight may also be blamed for the delayed tooth eruption and the teeth may have enamel issues that come with it.

 Rare genetic abnormalities causing poorly formed teeth and delayed tooth appearance such as regional odontodysplasia and amelogenesis imperfecta can be the reason as well. Vitamin D-resistant rickets and nutritional deficiency can also lead to a delay.

Dealing with Delayed Tooth Eruption

For most children who are toothless, a delay is just an opportunity for the parents to enjoy their gummy smile a bit longer. Nevertheless, parents must setup a dental visit for their kids whose teeth erupt later than the normal schedule, particularly if they are worried the delay could mean a more serious problem. But keep in mind that, however late they erupt, caring for your child’s teeth and gums is the best start for a long-lasting oral health.

Why Do Kids Need to Go to a Pediatric Dentist and to Visit Regularly?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in the US. If left untreated, tooth decay can be a painful and uncomfortable experience for children and it can lead to infection, creating problems with learning, speaking and most especially, eating.

• Nearly 1 out of 4 children between 5 and 11 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.
• Thirteen percent of adolescents between 12 and 19 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.

Importance of Early Childhood Dental Visits

The earlier children started going to a pediatric dentist, the healthier their teeth and mouth will be throughout their lives. Doing early dental visits help prevent tooth decay and cavities – conditions that can lead to pain, loss of appetite and other medical issues. Children with healthy teeth learn to speak clearly, chew their food thoroughly and smile with confidence!

The American Academy of Pediatric recommended that every child must visit a dentist at the age of 1. This visit also teaches caregivers and parents how to take good care of the child’s teeth and help keep them cavity-free.

For instance, pediatric dentists often see numerous children with tooth decay due to falling asleep with a bottle of juice or milk. Your pediatric dentist can teach the parent or caregiver why it causes cavities, why is it important to introduce drinking from a cup once they approach their first birthday and the proper way of brushing young teeth.

Your dentist can also explain why you need to stop on-demand bedtime feeding once your child’s first tooth emerges.

Another reason why early childhood dental visit is important is that your pediatric dentist can provide treatment procedure that can help prevent decay and cavities. Your children’s dentist may apply dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the molars to prevent tooth decay. Studies show that sealants can reduce decay of permanent molars by about 81%. Flouride varnish is also another preventive dental treatment that is painted on the teeth to prevent decay.

What Parents Should Do

It is important to bring your child to his/her dentist by age 1 for checkup, as advised by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Consult your paediatrician or pediatric dentist about applying fluoride varnish as soon as first tooth appears as well as dental sealants.

If you are living in a community that has water not fluoridated, consult your dentist if your child needs fluoride supplements in the form of tablets, drops or lozenges.