Downey Park Family Dentistry is excited to announce that our offices are reopen to serve our community. We are taking additional special measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and team, and appreciate your understanding that things will look and function a bit differently in our office for the time being.
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Caring for your child's dental health is an important priority for parents. Many specialists recommend taking the little one to the dentist from the moment their first baby teeth start appearing, to ensure they are developing properly and to catch any minor issues before they become major problems.
But, monitoring the child’s teeth at home is equally important, and you might notice the emerging signs of what are often called ‘shark teeth.’ Here’s everything you need to know about this issue:
Shark teeth is a term to describe the case where the adult teeth of the child begin growing behind the baby teeth, leading to 2 rows of teeth.
This happens when the baby teeth roots did not have time to fully dissolve and fall out, which usually occurs before adult teeth are ready to erupt. Parents can find shark teeth rather concerning, but the good news is that in most cases, the issues resolve on their own.
As adult teeth erupt and baby teeth wiggle, they will eventually fall completely and make room for the adult teeth. Parents can also gently wiggle the baby's teeth to encourage them to fall if they notice the adult teeth erupting.
If the shark teeth are causing the child discomfort and preventing them from properly speaking, eating, or the baby teeth show no signs of movement, then these may be indications that something is wrong.
However, shark teeth rarely cause permanent problems to the child’s oral health, so any issues they can cause are easily fixed at the dentist’s office.
Yes. It's best to talk to your dentist about shark teeth the moment you notice them and bring your child for a consultation. The dentist can make proper recommendations once they inspect the child’s mouth.
In some cases, the dentist can even pull the baby tooth to make room for the permanent one even if the baby tooth is not wiggling. But, it’s also possible for the dentist to recommend giving the baby tooth more time to run its course.
The dentist may like to monitor the growth of your child’s adult teeth more closely, just to make sure their smile grows strong and healthy. When caught early, most issues with tooth alignment or the child’s bite have easy solutions.
Have you noticed your child has shark teeth? Bring them to First Smiles Children's Dentistry for a consultation just in case! While shark teeth are usually nothing to worry about, we can help you find peace of mind and make sure your child’s oral health needs are properly taken care of.
To get started, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Chris Ha online, or call our office directly at (209) 343-3500 to find out more about how we can help your child.
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