8 Interesting Facts About Baby Teeth You Probably Didn’t Know 

Have you ever wondered about your child’s baby teeth? How are they formed? When can you expect them to fall out?

All of those are curious questions that most parents have. Luckily for you, in the list below we’ve included several fun facts about baby teeth—some of which you may have never known before. To learn more information about baby teeth, just keep reading.

1. Babies Are Born With Teeth

You might assume that your baby was born with no teeth, but that’s not true. Actually, baby teeth are hidden underneath their gums. They have a full set of teeth waiting to emerge at the right time.

Although they have plenty of little chompers in their mouth, you can’t deny that their adorable, all-gum smile isn’t heartwarming. Usually, a child’s baby teeth don’t emerge until they’re about six months old. They have 10 in the upper jaw in 10 on the lower jaw.

By the time most kids turn three, they’ll have their full set of teeth in their mouth. However, they’ll only have their small, baby teeth for at least a couple more years until their adult teeth start to come in.

2. Baby Teeth Require Brushing and Flossing

It may seem insignificant to brush baby teeth, but they require the same brushing and flossing as adult teeth. When your baby is an infant, rub their gums with a clean cloth after feeding. Doing so keeps bacteria away.

Once their small teeth begin to emerge, begin brushing them with baby toothpaste and a baby toothbrush. Lastly, once each tooth is close enough to touch, you can begin to floss for them to get rid of plaque and food particles. Doing this for your child helps them to build a foundation of great general hygiene.

3. Children’s Teeth Are Unique

Much like fingerprints, teeth are distinctively different from person to person. Although your kid might have a lot of your traits passed down to them, they’ll have their own personal teeth. This is even true for identical twins.

Not only are teeth unique, but children have individual tongue prints as well. No two tongue prints are alike.

4. Kids Should Have a Dentist Appointment by Their First Birthday

Children should visit the dentist as soon as their first tooth emerges, or by the time they’re the age of one—according to the American Dental Association. Again, good dental hygiene starts from the foundation.

For example, when your child is small, they’re already visiting the pediatrician. So why wouldn’t they visit the dentist?

Also, by taking your child to the dentist at a young age, it helps the dentist to identify any issues with their oral health early.5.

5. Some Babies Are Born With Visible Teeth

While it might be shocking to see a baby with teeth in their mouth, it happens. Children born with their teeth exposed have what’s called natal teeth. It only occurs in 1 out of 2,000 births, and it’s a pretty common occurrence.

In a lot of cases, natal teeth are prominent in babies with cleft palates and those with denting irregularities.

6. There Are Different Numbers of Baby Teeth Than Adult Teeth

Although babies are born with a full set of teeth, they don’t have as many in their mouths as adults. Most children only have 20 teeth in their mouth when they’re little. They’ll first develop a set of molars around the age of 6 or 7.

Then, around the age of 13, they’ll get a second pair of molars, which brings them to a total of 28 teeth. However, if a child develops wisdom teeth in their late teens or early twenties, then they can get up to a total of 32 adult teeth.

7. Tooth Enamel Is the Toughest Substance in the Body

Tooth enamel is a shiny, white substance that covers baby teeth and adult teeth. It’s known as enamel, and it’s a lot stronger than bones. It contains the highest percentage of minerals out of any other tissue within the body.

The main mineral contained within tooth enamel is hydroxyapatite—also known as crystalline calcium phosphate. But as strong as teeth are, they can’t repair themselves like many other tissues within the body. That’s why it’s imperative to take care of teeth.

8. Teeth Can Exert 200 Pounds of Pressure When a Person Bites Down

No matter if you are a child or an adult, teeth can provide an enormous amount of pressure. You’ve likely seen children and adults using their teeth to open things and chew on hard substances, like ice cubes.

But although teeth are amazingly strong, they are prone to chipping and cracking. Not only that, but tooth enamel can erode as well. That’s why it’s important to teach your kids to take care of their baby teeth and not use their teeth to chew anything other than food.

To learn more about baby teeth, and the baby teeth timeline, click website here.

Fun Facts About Baby Teeth

You’re probably unfamiliar with a lot of the baby teeth facts we provided above. But you can’t deny, it’s all pretty interesting. Most people believe that baby teeth are insignificant, but they are a big part of your child’s overall development.

So make sure you keep their oral hygiene in good condition by taking them to the dentist regularly.

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