One common dental concern parents have with their children’s teeth is when their adult teeth come in before their baby teeth are out. This can cause crowding, toothaches, and even a condition that is sometimes referred to as “shark teeth” or when there are two rows of teeth. Although shark teeth may seem concerning, it is easily treatable and is actually common among children.
What Causes “Shark Teeth”
Shark teeth, or two rows of teeth made up of both baby teeth and adult teeth, are caused when new teeth come in before the baby teeth come out. Generally, when permanent teeth begin to grow up (usually when your child is between 5 to 7 years old) the tooth pushes on and breaks the roots connecting the baby tooth to the gum line. The baby tooth will become loose and will eventually fall out. However, if the baby tooth’s roots to not break this will force the permanent tooth to have to move around the baby teeth. Most commonly, this causes the shark tooth phenomenon where the permanent teeth grow in behind the baby teeth.
What Should You Do If Your Child Has 2 Rows of Teeth?
If your child has two rows of teeth in their mouth there are few solutions. First, if the tooth is loose you should encourage your child to try and wiggle it out. If the tooth is very loose it may come out on its own which is the best outcome. However, if the tooth is not very loose or not loose at all you will need to schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist. A pediatric dentist can perform a tooth extraction to remove the baby teeth. However, before you schedule an appointment it is important to know that for your child’s top two front teeth or bottom two front teeth if one tooth grows in behind, the other tooth will likely do the same. Pairs of teeth often act in the same way. So instead of needing to schedule two separate appointments, it may be beneficial to wait for both permanent teeth to come in so that both baby teeth can be removed in one visit.
