Family Friendly & Specialty Dentists in London, UK
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Signs and Symptoms
- Most often natal teeth are mandibular central incisors.
- They have little root structure and are attached to the end of the gum by soft tissue and are often mobile.
- Natal teeth can cause discomfort and pain for the infant.
- They may lead to difficulty in breastfeeding or bottle-feeding.
- In some cases, natal teeth can cause injury to the infant's tongue or lips.
Causes
- Natal teeth are usually not related to a medical condition.
- However, they may be associated with certain syndromes such as Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, Hallermann-Streiff syndrome, Pierre Robin syndrome, and Sotos syndrome.
- The exact etiology for natal teeth is unknown.
- Factors like heredity, environmental toxicants, endocrine disturbances, and superficial position of tooth germ may contribute to the development of natal teeth.
- Certain genetic factors may also play a role in the occurrence of natal teeth.
Treatment
- No intervention is usually recommended unless the natal teeth are causing difficulty to the infant or mother.
- However, some recommend removing natal teeth if they can cut or amputate the tip of the tongue.
- It is generally advised to leave natal teeth in the mouth as long as possible to decrease the likelihood of removing permanent tooth buds.
- Natal teeth should not be removed if the infant has hypoprothrombinemia.
- In case of complications requiring removal, dental radiographs should be obtained and evaluated by paediatric dentists.
Notable cases
- Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis XIV, Richard III, Ivan the Terrible, and Hannibal are historical figures known to have had natal teeth.
- Kate Mulgrew, an actress, is also reported to have had natal teeth.
- Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, Cardinal Mazarin, and Cardinal Richelieu are other notable individuals with natal teeth.
- Zoroaster, a religious figure, is also mentioned as having had natal teeth.
- These examples serve as historical references for the occurrence of natal teeth.
References
- Seminario, AL; Ivancaková, R (2004). Natal and neonatal teeth. Acta Medica, 47(4), 229–33. doi:10.14712/18059694.2018.96. PMID15841901.
- Ardeshana, A., Bargale, S., Karri, A., & Dave, B. (2016). Dentitia Praecox - Natal Teeth: A Case Report and Review (PDF). Journal of Applied Dental and Medical Sciences, 2(1). Retrieved 2018-11-08.
- Massler, M., & Savara, BS (1950). Natal and neonatal teeth: a review of 24 cases reported in the literature. The Journal of paediatrics, 36(3), 349–59. doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(50)80105-1. PMID15405415.
- Khandelwal, V., Nayak, U. A., Nayak, P. A., & Bafna, Y. (2013). Management of an infant having natal teeth. BMJ Case Reports, 2013, bcr2013010049. doi:10.1136/bcr-2013-010049. PMC3703024. PMID23737593.
- Leung, A. K., & Robson, W. L. (2006). Natal Teeth: A Review. Journal of the National Medical Association, 98(2), 226–8. PMC2595049. PMID16708508.
