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My older son is 9 1/2. He lost his first tooth when he was 8 1/4. He has since lost 4 other teeth, including his two front teeth, but he lost them about 9 months ago and the new ones aren't quite ready to break through yet. My younger son is 6 1/4 and he has yet to have the first loose tooth. Are any of your kids experiencing a delay in average dental progression? I remember loosing all my baby teeth by the time I finished 1st grade (no kindergarten at my school WAAAAY back then!) We had to redo Xrays on our older son during his last dental check-up because they couldn't see his permanent teeth shooting the Xray straight on - they were still so high in his head. On the one hand - the longer it takes to get the second set in, I suppose, the longer the second set may last. However, there are also some social pressures that go along with it - especially since my older son is on the small end of the scale. (Salesman asked him this weekend, How old are you? 5? Ouch!) I was wondering if it had anything to do with early nutrition or if it was just a fluke that both our sons seem to be following similar timelines with their teeth. No. 1 was about 3 months delayed in getting his first set, but they all came in in rather quick succession after that. The younger son came with almost all his choppers in place (2 1/2 years old).
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I adopted my son last year from Kazakhstan when he was 10. he was so tiny, he was not even on the growth charts. He was the size of American first graders. He had 6 cavities in his mouth. He is still getting permanent teeth. Some of his baby teeth had been yanked out by brutal dentists and he had big gaps in his mouth. The teeth are mostly all in now, I think. I would guess it's due to poor prenatal nutrition, perhaps? Russian and Eastern European kids just generally seem to be behind American kids in most respects, no matter how young they were adopted. Take care, Dee
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DS came home at 8.5 mos old. He had only a minor delay in teeth progression, but he has two crowns and a cavity and got them before he was 2.5. Since then, he hasn't had any issues. DD home at 14 mos old didn't have any teeth. Yes, you read it right. She had her bottom 2 start to come in during the 10 day wait. At one point, my ped thought her age was wrong as she was so delayed in her teeth and skeleton (soft spot wasn't closed, size etc) She just had a dental checkup at 3 yr 2 mos and her 2 year molars aren't even close to breaking through. My DS home only a few months from Uzbekistan has a full mouth of chopppers. Who knows!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Rickets (among many other nutritional issues I would assume) can delay tooth eruption. DD had rickets and no teeth on her first birthday (she had been with us about a month) and her 2 year molars never erupted until she was 3.5 years old. Oddly enough she lost two teeth last year one at age 5.5 and then one at age 6 and now...nothing is even wiggling. [/FONT][FONT=Comic Sans MS][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]DD is tiny as well...she helps in the toddler room at after care (very sweet) and she is just a bit bigger than most of them who are older 2 year olds or younger 3 year olds...so that may play in it as well. [/FONT][FONT=Comic Sans MS][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Our dentist told us not to worry and to prepare for lots of orthadantia (sp) because DD's mouth/jaw is much too tiny for her adult teeth. cha'ching!!!!!:hissy: [/FONT]
Dennis only had about a tooth and a half when he came home (14 months). Now, he'll be 7 in a few weeks, and nothing is even wiggly. The dentist predicted this, and told us that he wouldn't lose teeth until he's older because he got his baby teeth late. He's about the only one not missing his front teeth in first grade. He's a big boy with teeny, tiny teeth.
I'm sure that all factors play into how teeth grow with our children. Nutrition is probably the number one factor. DD has beautiful teeth. She is 3.5 years old. I think it's a generalization to say that all Eastern European and Russian children are behind. As far as braces and such go, I had braces and my teeth looked wonderful, but alas the wisdom teeth pushed alot and mine are "normally" unalined again!
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DS had rickets and his soft spot was not fully closed at 18 months. He had two bottom teeth and the 4 top teeth I think when he came home. His teeth came in like wild fire after 2 months home. No time for teething woes. It happened almost overnight. Dentist says his teeth are strong and that he will need braces. I think its the rickets. Diagnosed or not I believe them all to have it to some degree.
Yes, it sure seems to vary, Bella was teething when I met her at 8 mos and when she got home (at 9 1/2 mos) the teeth started popping out like chiclets, as ddahl said, no time for teething pain. She has a set of choppers also, in fact already has all four 2 year molars (just turned two) she certainly didn't have great nutrition until she got home!
-Took my poor 6-year old in for a root canal yesterday! -And she has had several cavities. The dentist believes the lack of flouride in the water in Russia may play a part in the dental problems. Many of us have seen the bottles of "fruit-flavored sugar water" the babies are often fed, and the tons of sweetened juice the older kids get. I have heard that dental delays are as common in these kids as other types of delays, though I did not see it with either of mine. I have a friend, a medical doctor in his 30s, who still has a number of his baby teeth! He was told that his "delay" is permanent and will not cause severe problems...
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Our older son was diagnosed with rickets when we brought him home and we were advised not to allow him to push up on his legs until we were home about 3 months or so and he had a chance to catch up on nutrition. Nothing was said about possible effects with the teeth probably because he didn't have a tooth in his head. He has (had) pretty teeth, but they are very small. He has had two cavities, but we are pretty conscientious about dental care and have new teeth sealed to help prevent decay. No. 2 son has beautiful teeth and has never had a cavity. Appreciate all the comparitive information. It's an interesting topic.
Well I didn't lose my first tooth until I was in 2nd grade :) But, both of my kids from Kaz were on the later side getting their teeth. My daughter got her first tooth at 11mths old and at 3yrs old just got her 2yr old molars. Her teeth also came in in a wonky order, she looked like a vampire for a while. But she doesn't have any cavitities and great white and strong teeth.My son has been more normal, first teeth at 8mths old and now at almost 13mths he has five teeth, no cavities for him either yet. Just had his first appt last week.
We've had a lot of dental issues these past 3 years. Big Boy was 3 when we came home and had 11 teeth pulled 10 days after arriving here. His teeth came in remarkably fast. I was surprised and kind of nervous about it. I thought maybe we had him aged wrong (he was abandoned but they did know who he was as he lived in a town that registered all members). From the pedi dental specialist we have been working with here is what I've learned. Malnutrition and bad dental care does effect the growth of teeth. More than anything else genetics really plays a factor. I did not have my permanent front teeth until the end of 2nd grade (all of my first communion pictures prove that!) Here my boy is with his new front teeth in Kindergartern. And his cousin who is home grown is a year behind him and has just lost one of hers. I wouldn't worry about it unless your dentist tells you there is a concern. And I do recommend that APs especially use dentists that are pediatric specialists. These are the dentist who treat kids with special dental needs and malnutrition and poor prenatal care really can lead to special dental needs. Christina
Dennis only had about a tooth and a half when he came home (14 months). Now, he'll be 7 in a few weeks, and nothing is even wiggly. The dentist predicted this, and told us that he wouldn't lose teeth until he's older because he got his baby teeth late. He's about the only one not missing his front teeth in first grade. He's a big boy with teeny, tiny teeth.
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