Dr. Stephanie Murphy, DDS
Dear Dr. Murphy,
My daughter’s adult teeth are growing in but the baby teeth aren’t falling out. They do seem to be a little loose, though. What should I do? Is this an emergency?
- Concerned Mom
Dear Concerned Mom,
While I know this looks strange, “shark teeth” are actually very common in kids! It most often occurs when the permanent, lower front teeth grow in behind the primary teeth.
Most of the time, I would suggest simply monitoring the area. Especially if the baby teeth are
already slightly loose, it is likely they will continue to loosen and exfoliate on their own. The tongue will then work to help align the permanent teeth, and they will move forward into a better position.
If the baby teeth are not loose at all and the permanent teeth have grown in fully, it may be
necessary to have them evaluated by a dentist and possibly removed.
You may need to help your daughter brush in this area for a time. It can be difficult to completely remove plaque and food between the two sets of teeth. And if the baby teeth are slightly loose, you may find she is not brushing them as thoroughly.
