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Children's health

Adult tooth coming up behind baby tooth

16 replies

Lostandfounddad · 05/06/2015 00:00

My little lady was recently 5, and I was surprised to notice, when brushing her teeth, that one of her lower front teeth was wobbly. I don't know why but I always assumed she'd be a bit older before she started losing her baby teeth. However now I've noticed that I can see the adult tooth coming up directly behind the baby tooth. Is that normal? I thought the adult tooth pushed up, knocked out the baby tooth, then grew up into the space vacated, am I wrong? Do I need to do anything?

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MrsBarryAllen · 05/06/2015 00:03

It's very common. Once the baby tooth falls out the big tooth just moves forward into place.

It means you miss out on the cute gappy smile for a while as the adult tooth hides the gap.

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Frecklefeatures · 05/06/2015 00:11

Be careful if the baby tooth doesn't come out soon - this can lead to bacteria getting trapped between the 2 teeth and the adult tooth decaying. This happened to my daughter (I'd just thought the baby one would come out when it was ready).

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DustBunnyFarmer · 05/06/2015 00:14

Or, as in my son's case, the new tooth coming through wonky behind the baby tooth. The dentist gave us the option of leaving it for 6 months. DS1 got weepy, so we left it 6 months. Bad move! I suspect he will need orthodontic treatment because it.

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DustBunnyFarmer · 05/06/2015 00:15

Leaving it 6 months or having it whipped out there & then.

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MrsBarryAllen · 05/06/2015 00:21

DustBunny, my DS1's was really wonky too but the dentist said it would probably sort itself out (but would keep an eye on it). It did straighten itself though. I was convinced braces were in his future.

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SchnitzelVonKrumm · 05/06/2015 00:21

My DCs had "shark teeth" - adult teeth fully erupted and not the slightest wobble. Dentist pulled the baby teeth - was v. quick and didn't hurt. They also hold onto their milk teeth for years - neither lost a tooth til they were 7 and DC1 still has all but the front ones at 11. It's a thing in DH's family.

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DustBunnyFarmer · 05/06/2015 00:37

Thanks Barry - that is reassuring.

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Lostandfounddad · 05/06/2015 06:56

Thank you very much everyone. I feel a bit better now I know it's relatively common. I might take her to the dentist, just to make sure they are happy to leave it for now.

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sunnydayinmay · 05/06/2015 22:10

DS2 has until 1st July to wobble out a baby tooth. The adult tooth is behind it, and we have a dentists appointment on the 1st. He's wobbling like mad!

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rockinghorseShit · 17/06/2015 22:36

a friend of my dad's (in his 60's) has still got a baby tooth. it never fell out. it is his party piece Grin

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vez123 · 17/06/2015 22:41

My DS had a little row of two adult teeth behind his row of baby teeth. It looked freakish! I even thought about making an appointment with the dentist but then I read that it's quite common.
It took a few weeks for both baby teeth to come out and now the adult teeth have moved forward quite nicely.

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Eigg · 17/06/2015 22:56

My DS had sharks teeth too, he thought it was deeply cool. The dentist said that the teeth would move forward when they were ready and they have.

Btw my DD lost her first tooth at 4 yo while many of her friends didn't lose any until 7yo so there's quite a variation.

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formerlyofLadysmith · 17/06/2015 23:02

My DC just had this with one of her front teeth (her third wobbly tooth). We had a routine dentist appointment booked anyway so went along, & was told it was perfectly normal & the adult tooth will move forward into the gap when the baby one falls out. However I think there are variations in severity as a friend's child had to have teeth extracted in a similar situation, so IMO worth going to the dentist just for a check.

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ISpyPlumPie · 01/08/2015 20:15

Was just about to start a thread on this as found that DS1 (5) has a shark tooth this evening. The tooth in front is only a tiny bit wobbly. The one next to it fell out a couple of months ago and the adult one has already filled the gap. Will take him to the dentist to have a look -it doesn't seem to be bothering him, but just a bit worried about cleaning the new tooth properly when the old one is in the way.

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HermioneWeasley · 01/08/2015 20:17

DS had shark teeth too. Had to have them pulled out. Definitely get her seen by a dentist

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Etak15 · 02/08/2015 00:08

My dd (7) has bottom teeth like this too her front ones have come in a 'normal' way ie baby ones fell out then new ones grew and are straight but bottom ones have baby ones and a couple of new ones all wedged in together and baby ones aren't wobbly, last visit to dentist she said wait n see if they cone out on there own but now I am worried esp about decay as freckle said, I hadn't thought about that.

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