Baby Teeth Are Coming in Crooked: Causes & Tips to Deal

A person’s teeth are not only essential for their appearance but also for their overall health and well-being, making them a top priority for parents who eagerly anticipate their children’s happy, bright smiles. Concerns about crooked teeth in babies can be unsettling, even though such issues typically arise when crooked permanent teeth emerge. This can lead to worries about future dental alignment. Fortunately, while some children may experience temporary dental misalignment, most tend to develop normal teeth over time. Proactive early dental care, including regular check-ups and preventive measures, can alleviate concerns and promote optimal oral health from infancy through adolescence and into adulthood. Read on to learn more about babies’ teeth growing in crooked.

Why Are Your Baby’s Teeth Growing Out Crooked?

If you may be wondering, “Why is my baby’s teeth growing crooked?” wonder no more. Here are a few reasons why your baby may be developing crooked teeth.

1. Wrong Dental Habits

Babies tend to put everything they find into their mouths as this is one of the ways they explore their worlds. Unfortunately, this could be a habit that causes your little one to develop crooked teeth. Some other bad dental habits that contribute to your baby developing crooked teeth are pacifiers, thumb sucking and prolonged bottle feeding.

2. Undeveloped Jaw

Your baby’s jaw is still growing and developing, so its small size makes it hard to hold all the teeth without looking overcrowded and slightly crooked.

3. The Role of Genetics

If you or your partner have crooked teeth, the genes for crooked teeth are likely to pass on to your baby. It is most prominent if your baby inherits a small jaw from mum and large teeth from dad. Those who inherit small teeth will have gaps between their teeth at first, but when more teeth start to grow, the teeth come closer together, making them look a bit fuller and straighter than before.

4. Sleeping on the Stomach

Allowing your baby to sleep on his tummy is not a good idea for many reasons, one of which is that it encourages crooked teeth as it puts pressure on their cheeks and mouth. While you may not notice the change immediately, over time, the crookedness becomes more evident. So, if you notice that your baby is falling asleep during tummy time, make sure to turn him over onto his back.

5. A Tumour or Cyst

In the rarest of cases, there may be a tumour or cyst inside your baby’s mouth, leading to protruding front teeth. Consult with your dentist on this matter so that you will be able to get treatment for your baby.

What Must Parents Do If Their Child’s Teeth Are Crooked?

Crooked baby teeth, is this unusual? It is quite common for most children to develop crooked teeth due to their small jaws. Even normal-sized teeth may sometimes make the mouth look overcrowded. If you want to do something to help your baby develop better teeth, here are some ways that you can help:

1. Better Oral Habits

It’s time to start developing the habit of brushing teeth as soon as your baby starts to teethe. Ensure that all the cavities get cleaned, and all the food particles get removed. Make it a habit that you check your baby’s teeth if he prefers brushing them on his own. However, you can start getting him used to the process much earlier. By using some moistened gauze wrapped around your index finger, you can gently clean the inside of their mouths.

2. Correct Bad Habits

If you are in the habit of using a pacifier to soothe your baby, it is alright. However, you need to ensure to start weaning your baby off the pacifier by age two to prevent your baby’s teeth from growing crooked. Thumb-sucking should be corrected as well and can sometimes be harder to wean your child off than the pacifier.

3. Consult a Professional

It is best to consult a professional in cases like this so that you will be able to find out if there is treatment required or if your baby is experiencing the crooked teeth due to having a small jaw. It is most often something that will sort itself out as your child grows.

Can You Prevent Crooked Teeth in Infants?

Crooked teeth can be prevented in kids by developing good habits early in life. Follow the mentioned tips to prevent the chance of developing crooked teeth:

• Do not let your little one suck his thumb.
• Take your kids for regular dental check-ups.
• Teach your kids to brush gently on the gums.

Why Consult a Dentist?

As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure” so ensure to start taking your child’s dental health seriously from the beginning if you want to prevent him from having any problems with crooked teeth. While you may be contemplating “Is it normal for baby teeth to come in crooked”, your dentist will have all the answers you are looking for, especially since each child develops in a unique way.

Book an appointment with your paediatric dentist even if your baby doesn’t have any dental issues. The paediatric dentist will be able to examine your baby’s mouth and jaw and advise you on how best to look after their oral health.

Your dentist will also be able to identify if your child has crooked teeth due to medical reasons such as a cyst or a tumour causes your baby to develop crooked teeth. This will enable you to discuss a plan of action and start treatment in order to heal your child of whatever the problem is.

FAQs

1. Can early dental visits prevent crooked teeth in babies?

Early dental visits allow pediatric dentists to monitor tooth development closely and provide guidance on oral care practices that can promote proper alignment and prevent potential issues with baby teeth.

2. Can breastfeeding or bottle feeding affect baby teeth alignment?

The method of feeding generally does not directly cause crooked teeth. However, prolonged bottle feeding or improper latch during breastfeeding may affect oral development and contribute to dental issues.

This was all about infant teeth coming in crooked. Remember, most children who have crooked teeth develop a beautiful set of teeth in the future, so ensure to keep up with their dental appointments so that you have expert advice on your child’s oral health and development. Rather than waiting for things go sour, develop good dental hygiene habits in your children from an early age. This will prevent many problems in the future and will prevent the need for braces later in life.

References/Resources:

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine; https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/anatomy-and-development-of-the-mouth-and-teeth

2. Warren. J, Bishara. S, Steinbock. K, Yonezu. T, Nowak. A; Effects of oral habits’ duration on dental characteristics in the primary dentition (The Journal of the American Dental Association); National Library of Medicine; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11780987/; December 2001

3. Does it matter if my child has crooked baby teeth?; Orthodontists Australia; https://orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/matter-child-crooked-baby-teeth/

4. What to Know About Crooked Baby Teeth; St. Louis Children’s Hospital; https://childrensmd.org/uncategorized/what-to-know-crooked-baby-teeth/

5. Teething Tots; Nemours Kids Health; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/teething.html

6. Johnson. N, Sandy. J; Tooth position and speech–is there a relationship? (The Angle Orthodontist); National Library of Medicine; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10456597/; August 1999

Also Read:

Natal Teeth
Late Teething in Babies
Baby Teeth Order of Appearance
Eruption Cyst in Babies (Teething)
Signs & Symptoms of Teething in Babies

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