By: Dr. Jane Ronen – Pediatric Dentistry Specialist
6 Wedgwood Blvd. (Carmel Center) Haifa – Tel: 04-8388815

Studies show that babies born prematurely are at higher risk of developing dental problems including: enamel defects, cleft palate, tooth discoloration, and delayed eruption.

Defects in the tooth enamel (= enamel hypoplasia)

Premature infants are found to have a 4-fold higher incidence of defects in the outer layer of the tooth (enamel/vitreous). The defects appear as areas of deficiency in the tooth substance in the form of depressions or holes. The possible causes of this are probably pressure when inserting the breathing tube (intubation), during ventilation, or due to a lack of nutritional components. These defects increase the risk of caries, and therefore these children require extra care in brushing, exposure to fluoride, and frequent follow-up with the dentist.

A dent in the palate

This is a narrow depression in the roof of the mouth caused by pressure during ventilation. The longer the ventilation is, the greater the likelihood of the depression, although the depression has also appeared in premature babies who were ventilated for only a week. When this depression is present, complications such as crowding, malposition of teeth, sucking or speech problems may occur.

Tooth discoloration

In newborns who have had high bilirubin levels after birth, yellow-brown staining may appear in the deciduous teeth. This internal staining cannot be removed by brushing or by the dentist.

Hatching delay

This may be the case in cases of very low birth weight or illness. Some studies link this to postpartum infections, poor nutrition, and/or prolonged ventilation. If your child is born very small or very sick, there may be a 2-6 month delay in hatching.

Congenital toothlessness

No link has been found in the literature between premature birth and toothlessness. Similar to the general health problems associated with premature birth, the smaller or sicker the newborn, the higher the risk of developing the problems listed. It is recommended to visit a pediatric dentist to check this. TheAAPD (The American Association of Pediatric Dentists) recommends that all parents brush their children's teeth starting from the moment their first tooth erupts. It is also recommended that they have their first dental check-up no later than one year of age - an examination and consultation at this stage are designed to help prevent the development of various dental problems.