It is important for the parents to be aware of the development of the Milk Teeth (or Primary or Baby Teeth) and the Permanent Teeth for their child. An accurate chronology of primary and permanent tooth calcification is of great significance and requires monitoring by a qualified dentist for early signals of anomalies if any. The formation of tooth is an intricate and complex phenomenon which involves five stages, namely:
ü Initiation (Bud Stage)
ü Proliferation (Cap Stage)
ü Histodifferentiation or Morphodifferentiation (Bell Stage)
ü Apposition
ü and Calcification (Crown Stage)
Development starts in utero: Primary teeth begin to form prenatally about 14 weeks in utero. The first tooth usually erupts by the 6th or 7th month, but some may not get their first tooth until after the age of 12 months. Usually the lower teeth grow out before the upper teeth. At 18 months, babies usually have 12 teeth and by 3 years, all 20 primary teeth will have erupted. Review the chart in the end of this blog to understand the tooth development timelines, further.
Teething problems: Babies often start drooling a month or two before the first tooth erupts. While teething, they may be uncomfortable. This can be soothed by use of pacifiers (teething ring). Please be cautious to buy a branded and approved one. If the baby is still uncomfortable, acetaminophen drops can be started in consultation with your dentist. Myth, myth, myth: Fever, Cold, and Diarrhea are not caused by teething. If indeed these symptoms exist they should not be assumed to be due to teething and a pediatrician should be consulted.
Primary teeth are to shed: Yes, the primary teeth are not permanent; however they play a vital role. They are necessary for chewing and eating until 6 yrs or more, maintain space and guide the eruption of the permanent teeth in position, and allow the jaw bones and muscles to develop normally. Especially the molars are not replaced until the teenage years and so they will serve a child for 10 years or more.
Human tooth development timeline
(Source: Wikipedia)
Neither should one worry more if the primary teeth appear late or if they appear early, however consulting your dentist is advisable.
Signing off!
About the author:
Dr. Payal Chaudhuri B.D.S., M.D.S. (Pediatric Dentist)
The author of this article is a Registered Dental Practitioner in India.
She is also associated with a Dental College in Gurgaon, India.
E-mail: dr.payal@hotmail.com
3 comments:
hello doc
my sister's son is 9 month old. can you please tell me as to when will his teeth erupt?
The first primary tooth usually erupts between 6 months to 1 year, so I would advise to wait until your nephew is 1 year old and not be too worried.
However you may visit your dentist for a clinical and radiological (X-Ray) examination for better insight.
Thank you very much for sharing on your wonderful idea about this topic for sure your idea is more helpful for me.
children dentists
Post a Comment