What Are "Shark Teeth"?

When your child starts to lose their first baby tooth, it is an exciting time!

The front baby teeth start falling out at around six years old. However, what if you see another row of teeth behind the baby teeth? Some people call this “shark teeth” because of its distinctive look as the adult teeth come in behind the baby teeth. Usually, the adult teeth on the bottom come in first.

Don’t Worry!

The first step is not to worry: this happens to kids more than you would think. Some parents think their child needs to have the baby teeth extracted. Some parents may also think their child needs braces early. But usually, there is no pain or infection with two rows of teeth and no action is necessary.

Sometimes, the adult teeth come in crooked if your child does not have enough space for the teeth. This is called dental crowding. Extracting the baby teeth may not fix the crowding if your child’s jaw is small, and braces or other treatments may be suggested by your child’s dentist later on.

What To Do With “Shark Teeth?”

The baby teeth will most likely fall out by themselves with time. It is important to keep brushing twice a day and flossing around the baby teeth so the gums stay healthy and cavities don’t form. If a baby tooth is already very loose, encourage your child to wiggle the baby tooth out and let it fall out naturally.

Sometimes, you can wait until the dentist can check the teeth. Your child should see the dentist every six months. Once the adult tooth is as tall as the baby tooth, that’s when the dentist may recommend extracting, or pulling the baby tooth out. A good thing is that once the baby teeth fall out, even if the adult tooth is behind the spot of the baby tooth that fell out, usually the tongue will naturally push the adult tooth forward into a better spot.

Make a new patient appointment with the Dental Clinic at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.