Natal Teeth: A Rare Case Report and Management Strategies

Abstract

Background: The occurrence of teeth at birth is a rare phenomenon that can pose challenges for bothparents and health care professionals.Case presentation: A 30-year-old primigravida presented at 41 weeks in latent labor. She progressedwell and delivered by spontaneous vertex delivery, a live female infant, 3700 g with an Apgar score of 8and 10 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. On examination, two natal teeth were observed in themandibular anterior region. Vitamin K was administered to the infant after birth. The following day, it wasnoted that the baby had difficulty breastfeeding, and the mother reported bruising of the nipples and painwhile breastfeeding. A pediatric dentist noted that the teeth had severe mobility and planned forextraction. Extraction was performed under topical anesthetic gel successfully. Follow-up visits revealednormal breastfeeding with associated infant weight gain, and the gums had healed well.Conclusion: The occurrence of teeth at birth is a rare phenomenon that can pose challenges for bothparents and health care professionals. It is a culture-bound phenomenon that can cause parents to denytheir baby love and affection. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of this condition in order tocounsel the parents and manage the baby appropriately.