Can Babies Be Born With Teeth?

Every parent looks forward to the joy of watching their child get their first tooth. While it’s typical for most babies to receive their first tooth between 4 to 7 months or maybe not until they turn one year old, did you know some babies can be born with teeth?

This is called natal teeth and it’s a rare condition that only occurs in 1 out of every 2000 children. However, just because this is rare doesn’t mean there’s anything to be concerned about. As long as these teeth aren’t loose, they are unlikely to interfere with their daily life or require intervention. Read on in this blog from Willow Pediatric Dentistry to find out more about natal teeth.

Why Was My Child Born With Teeth?

We aren’t 100% certain of a particular cause of natal teeth, but it is slightly more common in girls than boys and tends to run in families. There is likely a genetic component to natal teeth, as at least 15% of children with natal teeth have a positive family history of natal teeth.

Other potential causes may include malnutrition during pregnancy, infection, and fever. Certain medical conditions increase a child’s risk of being born with teeth, such as a cleft lip or palate, and the following syndromes:

• Sotos
• Ellis-Van Creveld
• Pierre Robin
• Hallermann Streiff

Different Types of Natal Teeth

Natal teeth can manifest in a variety of ways. Your child may be born with one tooth or a few. It also may be an upper front tooth or a lower molar. However, it is even rarer for a child to be born with multiple teeth than just one. Only about 1% of babies are born with molars.

Your child is most likely to be born with a lower front tooth, but any sort of tooth can be present in the mouth, though less common. They can also be:

• Loose but fully developed and attached to tooth roots
• Loose with no roots
• Very small teeth that are just barely visible above the gums
• Teeth that show signs of erupting through the gums but haven’t yet

Your child may not necessarily be born with teeth but may receive neonatal teeth, which are teeth that erupt much sooner than expected. Instead of erupting between 4-7 months, your child may start teething around 3 months.

When Natal Teeth Should Be Treated

Keep in mind that the development of any natal teeth is rare and neonatal teeth are even rarer, so it’s not likely that you will need to worry about if your child needs intervention. However, if your child happens to be one of the rare few children who are born with teeth, you should monitor them to determine if they look loose.

We recommend taking them to a Rancho Santa Margarita pediatric dentist as soon as you can because loose teeth can be a choking hazard, make feeding difficult, or could cut the inside of their mouth. In this instance, the tooth or teeth may need to be extracted.

Schedule Your Child’s Checkup Today!

Most children do not need to see a dentist until they receive their first tooth, but if your child is born with theirs, they should go earlier so you can learn how to keep them clean and prevent issues. We can also determine if they pose a risk to your child or if they require no intervention. Contact us at Willow Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sam Alzayat.