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What Causes Delays in Tooth Eruption? Delayed Tooth Eruption

As a parent, it’s only natural to want to be ahead of the curve at every milestone of your baby’s growth to avoid being surprised by any underlying issues. If you have a baby with no teeth, you’re probably eagerly waiting to see that tiny white bud signifying their awaited arrival.

But, what then if they don’t show up in time? Well, in most cases, baby teeth coming in late shouldn’t be a cause for concern. However, in some kids with no teeth, there could be underlying issues. Like any other natural occurrence, some babies don’t show signs or develop their first set of teeth as expected; a phenomenon referred to as delayed tooth eruption.

When do baby teeth come in?

A common question is when do babies start growing teeth? Keep in mind that all baby’s growth milestones are unique at every step of the way, and we wouldn’t exactly term the time variation as an abnormality. Typically, the first teeth to erupt are the two lower teeth at around six months of age.

Four upper teeth, then follow them. The rest of the teeth start erupting in pairs, one on each side of the mouth. By the age of three years, give or take, almost all children will have had a complete set of 20 primary teeth.

Is Delayed Tooth Eruption concerning?

Wondering when to worry about baby teeth not coming in? Well, it is recommended that if there are no teeth at 9 months and the delay prolongs to more than nine months, you ought to take the baby to see a pediatric dentist.

However, despite this recommendation of visiting your dental specialist if there are no teeth at 9 months window, it’s important to note that the normal range for the appearance of a baby’s first teeth ranges between four to fifteen months.

In most cases, by the time they get to 11 months of age, the babies usually have four teeth. As they progress to 15 months, they should have about eight teeth, and by the time the baby gets to 27 months, they should have 20 teeth.

After the first set of 20 primary teeth is formed, they start to fall out gradually before you even come to terms with it. Next, they will progressively be followed by replacement by permanent teeth, which appear at around six years of age.

Usually, this is the typical eruption formation, but should any anomaly arise, it could be a sign of an underlying medical issue that needs to be investigated.

What Causes delayed tooth eruption?

More than often for kids with no teeth, their delayed tooth eruption boils down to various factors, namely;

Genetics

Genes are passed on through generations. If the baby teeth not coming in terrifies you, ask your parents how old you were when your first teeth showed. It helps you gauge the timing for your child’s teeth eruption. In addition, if you have a baby with no teeth after 15 months, there is a high possibility for lineage diseases and information that you should know.

It is known that certain genetic disorders could result in baby teeth coming in late. A familiar condition is Downs Syndrome.

Diseases

Diseases such as Hypopituitarism have been reported to correlate to delayed eruption and shedding of teeth significantly. Hypopituitarism is a developmental disorder affecting the pituitary gland that is responsible for the secretion of growth hormones.

Similarly, Anaemia, which is known to cause retarded growth, showed a significant correlation to baby teeth coming in late.

Premature birth and low weight during delivery

A study identified that preterm babies showed possible retardation of dental growth. Furthermore, it showed that babies born with a weight of less than 100g or those that underwent a gestation period of fewer than 30 weeks showed the greatest rate of baby teeth not coming in.

Usually, a baby’s teeth formation begins in the womb, starting at around 3-4 months in gestation. However, they don’t erupt but remain beneath the gums until the child’s birth.

Malnutrition

For a baby with no teeth, the deprivation of essential food nutrients could be a reason for the baby teeth coming in late. The vital components include vitamins such as Vitamin D, which is essential in strong bone formation and the prevention of rickets.

Are there risks associated with baby teeth coming in late?

For kids with no teeth, delayed tooth eruption could be just one of those “things” that generally happen and shouldn’t exactly cause panic. For such, simply enjoy the time with your precious little one as they unwittingly gnaw their way into their first set of teeth.

If the uncertainty begins to weigh down on you simply because your baby has no teeth at 9 months, arrange to visit a pediatric dentist such as Victory Plaza Dental Group in North Hollywood.
The proper formation of a baby’s primary teeth is fundamental for chewing and facilitating their first initial words. More so, baby teeth create a foundation for the incoming permanent teeth.

There aren’t any critical risks associated with baby teeth coming in late. However, it has been researched that children who bear teeth at a delayed time risk experiencing tooth decay. For this reason, maintaining proper oral hygiene and having scheduled dental checkups will go a long way in ensuring healthy teeth.

Treatment options

As the child grows to adulthood, orthodontic treatments are used in correcting the unerupted teeth. Where the situation is worse, dental surgery is needed. To better understand the best method of treatment to use, seek consultation from your pediatric dentist.

What are the Five Stages of Teething?

In most cases, baby teeth not coming in can be weird for both parents and the child; however, you should cope just fine with the right information. Let’s look at these stages outlined below.

Stage 1:(0-6 months)

During this phase, the babies are born having a complete set of 20 teeth beneath the gums. This set is known as the milk teeth because the baby is only feeding on a milk diet.

Stage 2:(6 months)

Here, usually, the first teeth begin to erupt. These are the lower front teeth and upper teeth referred to as incisors. Typically, discomfort may have been detected earlier, but six months is when the incisors begin to erupt.

At the time near the eruption, bumpy edges are felt underneath the gums, and it’s then that the baby begins chewing on items, hands, and toys.

The chewing is a good thing as it applies pressure on the erupting teeth, making them firm, relieving pain, and providing a distraction. You can provide appropriate chew material, i.e., soft rubber toys.

Similarly, this phase is identified with increased drool. You need to acquire a small bib worn during the day to keep the baby’s chin dry, preventing the development of rash.

Stage 3:(10-14 months)

The primary molars usually erupt during this period. They are situated in the lower and upper jaws towards the back. Stage three bears similarity to stage two but with increased drool and more urge to chew.

In some cases, the baby could experience diarrhoea and minimal fever as well as reduced appetite. In addition, the baby could experience a disruption in their sleeping schedule.

If the pain seems troubling, you need to talk to your pediatric dentist to advise on possible medication. Under no circumstance should you ever consider giving Aspirin to a child below 16 years of age.

Stage 4:(16-22 months)

Here, the canine begins to erupt. It is essential to ensure that the baby is comfortable during the transition to each phase.

Stage 5:(25-33 months)

Finally, this phase marks the onset of the molars. Usually, molars are the largest, and there is the possibility of the baby experiencing significant pain. As a parent, you have to find different methods to soothe the baby; you may find that nearly all techniques used earlier no longer work.

This phase requires constantly checking up on the baby to ensure they dont choke on any material inserted deep into their mouth to reach the molars during chewing.

Other Commonly asked questions by our clients are:

  1. My baby is almost 8 months and no teeth, when will they grow?
    Yes, they will grow, the range for teeth eruption is 4 to 15 months.
  2. I have an 11 month old no teeth. Is he okay?
    The range for teeth eruption is 4 to 15 months but if it goes beyond, visit your dental pediatric.
  3. How many teeth should a ten month old have?
    The baby should have at least four teeth by 9 months.
  4. Is there a kids dentist in north Hollywood?
    Yes, if you are looking for kids dentist in north Hollywood get in touch with Victory Plaza Dental Group.
  5. Should you see a dentist?
    Absolutely yes! You should see a pediatric dentist, call Victory Plaza Dental Group, the best kids dentist in North Hollywood.
  6. My baby has no teeth at 12 months. Should I worry?
    For a baby with no teeth at 12 months, it is advisable to have already visited your pediatric dentist around that time for consultation.

Conclusion

Delayed tooth eruption should not necessarily cause great concern when it doesn’t involve underlying health issues. Keeping open communications with your baby’s pediatric specialist is essential. Use this period to enjoy time with your baby as they grow gracefully into a little person.