Baby teeth play an important role in a baby’s life. They would fall out naturally or should be taken out at one point if they don’t fall out after a certain age. And if they fall out before their specified time they might be needed to fill the gap with artificial teeth such as polycarbonate crowns. But these teeth have much more to talk about. They are so weird that if we tell you that they start growing in the womb before the baby’s birth, will you believe them?
It’s hard, we know. For the weirdest things and information about baby teeth, we have listed some fun facts that you wish you knew earlier.
Baby tooth grows in the womb
The teeth of a baby are the first thing that grows. When pregnancy reaches up to 6 weeks, the baby’s teeth start forming inside the womb. During this time, the dental lamina (a tissue line) begins to grow with the gum line. Here at the gum line, tooth buds (a section of cells) start to grow along with the tissue line. When the pregnancy proceeds for three to four months, the fetus starts forming hard tissues across the teeth. These hard tissues remain there until the baby is born and grows up to 6 months.
Technically, a baby has its first line of teeth tissues even before he or she meets his parents.
Some babies are born with teeth
Sometimes babies are born with teeth. They can be one or sometimes two, as stated by a dentist from AuthorityDental.org Dr. Namrita Harchandani
These teeth are known as natal teeth. But this happens rarely in one of the 2000 babies. The natal teeth are too loose, which can easily be dislodged because they are not completely developed. To alleviate the risks of choking in newborns, doctors often remove them.
Some healthy baby teeth are blue
When infants of six months start erupting teeth in their first six months, these teeth remain creepy and weird. However, baby teeth are slightly different colored than the usual or permanent teeth. Dr. Harchandani says “Baby teeth are bluish-white in color and brighter than permanent teeth.”
Sometimes baby teeth get stuck
Oftentimes, baby teeth can sometimes fuse to the bones surrounded by the gums. When this happens the teeth sink inside the gum’s tissues. According to the National Institute of Health, this phenomenon is called ankylosis. Also, this does not limit itself to baby teeth, this can happen to adults too but is common in babies.
The condition does not show up until the baby starts losing its teeth. This could be bad news for permanent teeth that ankylosed teeth do not provide them enough room to grow up. This is why most adults still have their baby teeth.
Some babies have even more than 20 teeth
Being born with more than twenty teeth is rare. It is common in children to be born with twenty tooth buds, whereas the condition of having more than twenty tooth buds is called hyperdontia.
The condition often occurs when extra teeth pop up behind the common teeth or from the bottom of existing teeth. But this happens with adult teeth as well when they tend to produce wisdom teeth mostly. Scientists see the condition as it happens when the growing tooth bud starts splitting its cells into two. To help the permanent tooth to grow, doctors remove the baby tooth affected by hyperdontia.
Baby teeth also get caries and get cavities with time
Dental caries and cavities are some common but chronic diseases in young children nowadays. Baby teeth are delicate and small and can be easily spoiled with the cavity. According to the data, about 42% of children between 2-11 years have had cavities once in their baby teeth. The reason behind cavities in young children is partially determined by the increased use of starchy and sugary ingredients with fewer dental and oral hygiene routines.
Of course, at the age of two, babies might not eat this much sugar and starch that affects their teeth. Besides, there is another reason for that. As babies are not born with mutans streptococcus (bacteria that causes cavities) but get affected by it when they share food and utensils with their parents and that all happens before the age of two.
Baby teeth are too delicate this is why it is important to consult doctors when something looks rare.