Big news of a Missouri baby born with teeth had the entire Branson community hospital in an excited tizzy this week. HNGN News shares this Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, that these early pearly whites — professionally called natal teeth — are quite uncommon and considered very cute. However, they may pose a risk to the child. In an update on this engaging story, however, it seems that doctors are still considering whether the teeth should be shaved down or removed completely for the child’s overall safety.

 

Newborn Alyssa Bailey was apparently not satisfied with waiting; the Missouri baby born with teeth entered the world with two little front teeth — on the lower side — already intact. As many mothers and fathers may know, these chompers normally don’t start forming until young children reach the four-month mark to the seventh-month mark. Yet Alyssa is an unusual case in that she had her pearly whites to start with from the very beginning. Should these be removed?

Science World News reports that while cute and rare, these natal teeth can actually cause some complications. A number of doctors recommend filing or having the teeth shaved down in order to prevent accidental swallowing or painful issues when breastfeeding (ouch!). In something of a winter gift this past Christmas season, this little girl from Missouri arrived just a few days after the holiday with her two bottom teeth shiny and new.

"Right when she first arrived everybody was just shocked," said Jaklina Bailey with a smile. She is Alyssa's mother. "Just like, 'she has two front teeth? No kidding? Really?' It was just a big talk about it, you know, in the delivery room."

That isn't all, as it wasn’t just her parents who were shocked. Both nurses and doctors flocked into the maternity room in order to catch a glimpse of Alyssa’s little teeth, which are quite an infrequent — though not unheard of — phenomenon. Thankfully, Alyssa is very healthy and was born a beautiful baby girl.

Despite this blessing, this Missouri baby born with teeth needs to have a sharp eye kept on her at all times for these first few weeks of her life. With only one baby in each 2,000 to 3,000 births having any form of natal teeth, most parents are not well acquainted with the interesting but unusual condition. Because they can serve as a possible choking hazard if falling out early or result in breastfeeding or nursing problems, some health experts recommend shaving them or removing the small pearly whites completely.

The mother has assured everyone that she will be nursing with a bottle to begin with in order to avoid any sensitivity or pain in the breastfeeding process. Right now, the new family is just enjoying their time in the spotlight. "The nurse said in her 25-year career this is the second time she's ever seen it," the happy mother added. "We had two other doctors that came in just to look, and nurses, they were just like, 'let me see, let me see.'"

In the case of this smiling baby girl Alyssa and her cute bottom baby teeth, though, her parents have opted to keep the chompers untouched for now. They do not pose any immediate threat or risk to her or her mother at the moment, but some cases of natal teeth are connected to cleft palates or hormonal medical conditions. They may be removed if necessary in the coming weeks. What is perhaps most interesting of all is that natal teeth are a third actual teeth set for these rare babies. They will eventually fall out to be replaced by the “formal” pearly whites, and finally our final set will sprout afterwards.

http://www.examiner.com/article/missouri-baby-born-with-teeth-two-front-teeth-a-winter-gift-but-may-be-shaved