Two nights ago I asked Keegan to open his mouth so I could check if he had given his teeth a good brush before bed. I was surprised to spy an adult tooth emerging from his gum from behind his baby teeth down the bottom.
According to numerous internet sources, it is a very common condition called "shark's teeth". Some children around six years old develop two rows of teeth when the permanent teeth come through before the baby teeth have fallen out. The new teeth will push forward on the baby teeth, usually causing them to fall out within a few weeks. The adult tooth then moves naturally into place.
We will encourage Keegan to wobble his two bottom teeth to loosen them and help them to fall out soon. I'm hoping he won't need a special trip to the dentist.
A couple of my kids had this too. I have to admit, it is a little unnerving to discover at first, and you wonder--will the baby tooth come out? Will the teeth be straight? Well, the baby teeth at least DO come out, but you can't always count on straight...someone's gotta keep the orthodontists in business, right? :)
ReplyDeleteSame thing with us but the little blighters never came out on their own... 2 extractions later.... at least our dentist has the anaesthetic pen and pump... no pain... didn't even know that it was a needle. He was just delighted that he could collect from the tooth fairy... finally! Good thing was that the shark teeth moved forward immediately and filled the space nicely... perfectly straight. Good luck with your little shark. A-M xx
ReplyDeleteJoelle was a shark too!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter had this with her first tooth also. After about a year they are finally straightening out.
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