We feel happy when a newborn baby sees the world’s light. It brings joy to your family. You become extra careful and try to check the fingers, toes, head, and other parts. You always want to hear the sound of the newborn baby. The gums and the tongue amaze you. Though mostly you will find there is no tooth, you may find a baby born with teeth.
However, it is a rare phenomenon, and when you find a new abode with teeth, it is called natal teeth. Seeing a newborn with teeth is nothing that can make you alarmed. It is, however, better to get a consultation from your doctor if there are any risks.
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Can A Baby Be Born With Teeth?
In most cases, babies are born without teeth; A newborn baby usually gets its first tooth after six months or a month. Though rare, there are some cases where you will find a newborn with teeth. It is unusual as parents to prepare themselves for the first six months of seeing the first sight of their child’s tooth. It is something they crave to see and finally, when it arrives, brings joy and a smile to their face.
However, when you see your baby born with teeth, it holds on to your smile for a moment. The most common thing is finding only one child in every three thousand newborns with a natal thing. Usually, the natal teeth appear on the lower gum of the child. However, though the natal teeth are rare, it has nothing abnormal.
The Look Of A Natal Tooth
Natal Tooth is rare in infants. However, if you see a newborn with teeth, you will notice that the tooth is different in appearance. You can quickly identify the tooth as it has a particular look. Usually, a natal tooth is small, weak, and loose. There is a difference in color as the babies born with teeth are either light brown or yellow. It does not have the same appearance as the usual milk tooth of a child. A natal tooth may be conical in shape and slightly underdeveloped because of the incomplete root formation. Though the natal tooth does not cause any problem, the fact that it is loose may sometimes become an issue for the child. Hence, you should check with your doctor immediately.
Is It Necessary To Remove Natal’s Teeth?
It all depends on the child’s health if your baby is born with teeth. It is advisable that when natal teeth are redundant, you need to remove them. However, if the natal tooth is part of the primary teeth, it does not need to be removed. It is because infants with primary teeth are important as it helps them chew and speak clearly. Hence, you must not remove the natal tooth if it is developed. A missing primary tooth will not be helpful for the formation of the other teeth.
However, if you find that the natal tooth is underdeveloped, then it is necessary to remove it. Since the natal tooth is loose, it can choke your child and cause discomfort to the mother while breastfeeding her child. Therefore, you can keep the natal tooth as long as it does not harm your child.
Complications That May Arise Due To Natal Tooth
Following are the complications that may arise due to the formation of a Natal tooth:
Aspiration Risk:
One of the most horrifying issues with the Natal tooth is that the child may suffer from choking. When you find that the natal tooth is loose, it is better to extract it. The child may inhale the natal tooth, which can block the child’s airway and be dangerous to the child.
Difficulty In Feeding:
Natal tooth can cause a lot of discomfort to the child during feeding. Moreover, it may also develop ulcers on the tongue of your child. It usually happens when the child develops a natal tooth as an incisor. The sharp cone-shaped tooth can be dangerous to the child’s language, and it is also hazardous for the mother as it may hurt during breastfeeding.
Incorrect Formation Of Other Teeth:
If the natal tooth is redundant, it may cause a problem for the formation of the other teeth, and it causes a lot of crowding issues that can pose an obstacle to the growth of other teeth.
Causes of Baby Born With Teeth (Natal Teeth)
The actual cause for the natal teeth formation is still unclear. It rarely occurs in the newborn. However, the grounds for the appearance of natal teeth may be due to the following reasons:
- Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome
- Hallermann – Streiff syndrome
- Cleft palate
- Pierre – Robin syndrome
- Soto syndrome
See Also: Baby Making Gasping Sounds but Breathing Fine
Some Important Points About Natal Teeth
Following are some essential points that you must know about your child’s Natal teeth:
➨ Natal teeth are present in babies when they are born. In some cases, they are not primary teeth.
➨ They are rare. However, you cannot compare it with neonatal teeth, and it is because neonatal teeth arise within a month of the child’s birth.
➨ They are slight, loose, and not developed.
➨ Your doctor will know what to do with the natal tooth of your child.
Some Helpful Tips
Following are some tips that will help you get the most from your doctor when you visit regarding your child’s Natal teeth:
➨ You must know the reason for your visit to the doctor and what you want to happen.
➨ Before you visit your doctor, you must jot down all the possible questions you want to ask the doctor regarding the Natal teeth of your child.
➨ When you visit your doctor, you should write down the name of a new diagnosis and the medicines, treatments, or tests. You must write down all the instructions your doctor provides for your child.
➨ If the doctor prescribes a new medicine, you must know the reasons for the change in prescription or treatment. It would be best if you also asked how the therapy will help your child and whether there are any side effects.
➨ You can also ask the doctor if he could use other alternative treatment methods.
➨ You must know why if the doctor advises you to take a medical test. You can also verify the details of the results and what it means for your child’s well-being.
➨ If your child does not take the medicines or does not want to go for medical tests, what other alternatives are there?
➨ If your doctor recommends a follow-up appointment, you must write down the date and time of the next visit.
➨ You must know when to contact your doctor and ask if you can contact him at any hours in case of urgency. If your child suddenly becomes ill or has side effects, your doctor must know immediately.
See Also: How to Properly Swaddle a Newborn Baby
Caring for Natal Teeth
If your newborn is born with teeth, your doctor may advise you to extract them immediately for various medical reasons. However, if, after proper diagnosis, he thinks there is no need to remove the Natal teeth, then you will need to take care of it. Hence, you must clean your baby’s natal teeth by wiping them gently with a damp and soft cloth. While cleaning, you must check whether your child’s gums or tongue have injuries from the Natal teeth.
Conclusion
It can be pretty distressing seeing your newborn child with a tooth, and it would be best if you kept in mind that though Natal teeth are uncommon, it is not dangerous to the health of your child. Your doctor is the best person who will decide whether you should keep it or extract it.
