A Second Set: What Happens If Your Child Develops Shark Teeth?
Posted on: 30 November 2020
If you could have any ability of an animal, what would you choose? The wings of an eagle? The speed of a cheetah? You probably wouldn't choose the teeth of a shark, but this might happen to your child when their permanent teeth begin to develop. But what is shark teeth in children?
The Second Set of Teeth
Shark teeth in children get their name from the aquatic predator, and this is because sharks are continually replacing their teeth. Some shark varieties actually get through some 35,000 teeth during their lifetime. It's not as though your child has gained the ability to regrow their teeth (other than replacing baby teeth with adult teeth).
Shark teeth in children occur when your child's adult teeth develop without the loss of their baby teeth, creating a second set of teeth.
Potential Discomfort
The second set of teeth isn't a major cause for alarm, but the situation needs to be monitored. However, it can become problematic if the issue persists. The finite size of a human's jaw (particularly a jaw bone that's still developing, as is the case with children) means that only a certain number of teeth can be comfortably accommodated. An extra set of teeth can compress the nerve endings in your child's jaw, and this can be uncomfortable.
Oral Hygiene
Even when the extra set of teeth isn't causing any discomfort, it can make oral hygiene difficult, particularly when the adult teeth emerge behind the baby teeth. The difficulty of being able to physically reach this rear set of teeth can cause complications when it comes to brushing and flossing, simply because the baby teeth are blocking access. Adult teeth are intended to last a lifetime, and a rigorous standard of oral hygiene should be applied from the moment they emerge.
Dental Treatment
The problem will often go away without intervention. Your child's baby teeth will loosen and detach, even though this natural process might have been delayed. It's still advisable to take your child to a pediatric dental specialist for assessment. If needed, the baby teeth can easily be extracted. In some cases, the overcrowding of teeth can result in misalignment of the secondary (permanent) teeth. For some children with shark teeth, orthodontic treatment is needed to properly align their bite.
Shark teeth in children is a minor, temporary problem, and a dentist can easily help your child's dental development get back on track.
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