A baby girl born 12 days ago has already had her first tooth removed, with her mother saying she never expected to take her daughter to the dentist at such a young age.
Isla-Rose Heasman had to have her tooth taken out because it was wobbly. For a tooth to appear so early is unusual given the fact most babies start teething at about six months. Some start from the age of four months old and others after a year.
Isla-Rose’s mother, Jasmin, from Plymouth in Devon, said: “She had to have it taken out as it was wobbly. She was braver than me, she didn’t really cry.”
Staff at the Seven Trees Dental Access Centre said Isla-Rose was the youngest patient they had ever seen and rewarded her with a sticker.
The British Dental Association (BDA) said about one in 2,000 babies was born with a tooth present above the gumline at birth, known as a natal tooth. These teeth are often loose because the roots are not properly developed.
Prof Damien Walmsley, a scientific adviser at the BDA, said: “The condition can lead to problems with breastfeeding, ulceration of the child’s tongue, and there is risk of a detached tooth entering the child’s lungs. However these cases are extremely rare.”
