Sounds like a scene from a horror film. A baby is delivered and opens its mouth to reveal a full set of chompers. Then the little devil begins to chew his way through the delivery room staff….
It ain’t gonna happen! But scary as it sounds, babies can be born with teeth. They are called natal teeth and these teeth are present at the time of birth. Neonatal teeth erupt within thirty days of delivery.
Natal teeth generally develop on the lower gum and there are usually only two or three of them. They don’t have strong roots and are often loose. Natal teeth are uncommon, and found in only one in every two thousand to six thousand births. Natal teeth may cause irritation and trauma to the infant’s tongue while he or she is nursing. They also may be uncomfortable for a nursing mother. (No kidding!)
If the natal teeth are loose, they should be removed shortly after birth while the newborn infant is still in the hospital. A loose natal tooth could be swallowed and the child could be at risk for aspiration.
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"Can babies be born with teeth?" was posted on Friday, November 9th, 2007 at 11:18 pm.
Can a baby be born with teeth in his mouth?
Can you be born with teeth?