Healthopedia.com - Your Health
Encyclopedia

Set Homepage Email Page Favorites      

 
  Home
  Health Centers
  Medical Encyclopedia
  Drugs & Medications
  Diseases & Conditions 
  Medical Symptoms
  Medical Tests & Exams
  Surgery & Procedures 
  Injuries & Wounds
  Diet & Nutrition
  Special Topics
  Pictures & Images      


Google
 
Web Healthopedia.com

You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Teething
      Category : Health Centers > Mouth and Teeth (Oral and Dental)

Teething

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring | Attribution


Teething is the time in infancy and early childhood when children get their primary teeth.

What is going on in the body?

The age at which a child begins to get teeth can vary. The average age is about 7 months, but some infants' teeth erupt when they are only 3 or 4 months old. Other babies do not begin to get teeth until they are 12 months or even a little older. Getting teeth at any of these ages is normal. Sometimes infants are born with erupted teeth, but these are often abnormal and fall out.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Teething is a normal part of a child's growth and development. In general, children follow a certain pattern of tooth eruption. In some children, teeth may erupt late, in a different sequence, or not at all. Following are some of the conditions that affect normal tooth eruption:

  • congenital conditions that affect tooth development, such as abnormal development of the embryo known as ectodermal dysplasia
  • Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality that causes mental retardation and physical abnormalities, such as delayed tooth eruption
  • malformation syndromes, or conditions in which some teeth fail to develop
  • malnutrition
  • progeria, a condition in which the body ages prematurely
  • prolonged illness
  • rickets, a condition of abnormal bone growth caused by a lack of vitamin D in the diet

  •    

    Next section

       

    Teething: Symptoms & Signs

    Author: John Wegmann, MD
    Reviewer: Sandy Keefe, RN, MSN
    Date Reviewed: 08/09/01









    Content provided by The Patient Marketing Group, Inc.

    Copyright © 2006 Healthopedia.com All Rights reserved.
    About Us | Help/FAQ | Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy | Advertising Policy | Accessibility | Terms of Use
    Contact Us | Link to Us

    HONcode accreditation seal.

    We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information: verify here.


    The information provided herein is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. The information should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call your local emergency number for all medical emergencies. Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites.
    Page Last Updated: 30th May, 2006