Understanding Two Baby Tooth Eruption Issues
Posted on: 27 July 2015
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If you have recently had a baby, then the health of your child is likely very important to you. In fact, the early actions you take as a parent can affect your child through adulthood. This is especially true when it comes to the teeth, because good care of the baby teeth is needed so adult teeth can come in strong and healthy.
You may see some issues with the way the baby teeth come in, so keep a close eye on your baby and seek out dental care if you see any abnormalities. A few examples of tooth eruption issues and baby oral problems are explained below.
Neonatal Teeth
In most cases, you will see the first baby tooth erupt sometime between the four to seven month age mark. Sometimes though, children are actually born with a singular tooth, and this tooth is usually one of the bottom incisors that is supposed to come in four months after birth. The tooth is called a neonatal tooth, and it may be a tooth that has merely erupted well before it is supposed to.
This is not entirely surprising, since the baby teeth begin forming when your baby is in the womb and sometimes the teeth form completely and remain in place until it is time for them to erupt. The tooth may not be just a tooth that is seen early though. Babies can actually form an extra tooth in addition to the naturally forming baby and adult teeth. This is rare, but you will need to see a dental professional soon after your baby is born so the tooth can be examined.
How is the Issue Treated?
During the oral inspection, x-rays will be completed that show the baby teeth in the jaw. If the neonatal tooth is an additional tooth, it will be removed. This is true as well if the baby tooth is loose, so your child will not choke on the tooth when it falls out. If a natural tooth is removed, then the dentist will place a space saver device in the mouth once some of the other baby teeth start to come in. This will help to save the space in the mouth so the adult tooth can come in straight.
Eruption Cysts
The sharp edges on the cusps of the baby teeth generally cut through the gums as they erupt into the mouth. A film of mucous surrounds the tooth as it moves upward and shifts aside when the cutting occurs. In some cases, a small cyst will build just above the tooth and prevent the tooth from erupting smoothly. The cyst may burst and disappear on its own as it comes closer to the surface of the mouth, but this is not always the case. Cysts can remain, and large ones can bleed or become infected by the bacteria in the mouth.
How is the Issue Treated?
If you notice a small and round purple or red protrusion underneath your child's gums, but see no white tooth trying to emerge, then a cyst may be present. Watch your child for signs of pain, bleeding from the gums, and red and inflamed tissues that indicate an infection is present. If you notice these signs and symptoms, then meet with a pediatric dentist so that minor surgery can be performed. The dental professional will break and release the cyst from the mouth so the baby tooth underneath can come in. Antibiotics may be necessary as well to treat infected tissues.
As a new parent, you may be nervous about abnormalities like the ones seen as the baby teeth erupt from the gums. The presence of neonatal teeth and eruption cysts are two problems your baby may experience. Fortunately, they can be treated quite easily with the assistance of a pediatric dentist.