This article is medically reviewed by Dr. Đặng Thị Ngọc Chương,Specialist level I - Pediatric and Neonatal Department, Vinmec Central Park International Hospital. She has previously worked at Children's Hospital No. 1, Thu Duc Hospital, and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, with a strong emphasis on the diagnosis and management of neonatal conditions and neonatal resuscitation.
Typically, babies start to sprout their first tooth by the 6th month, and by the end of the first year, they usually have around 6 teeth. By the age of 2, they generally have a full set of 20 teeth, evenly distributed between the upper and lower jaws. However, the teething sequence varies for each child, and in some cases, a 9-month-old baby might still have no teeth.
1. Sequence of Tooth Eruption in Children
The sequence of tooth eruption is not uniform in all children; some may experience early eruption while others may have delayed eruption, influenced by various factors such as the adequacy of calcium supplementation during pregnancy.
In the developmental process of tooth eruption, the first molar typically emerges between 13 to 19 months of age for the maxillary arch and between 14 to 18 months for the mandibular arch. The second molar usually erupts within the range of 25 to 33 months for the maxillary arch and 23 to 31 months for the mandibular arch.
These molars are classified as primary teeth, and they will coexist with the child's growth until around 6 years of age. Following 6 years of age, both the molars and other primary teeth will begin to exfoliate, leading to the transition to the permanent dentition phase.
2. Is It Normal for a 9-Month-Old Baby Not to Have Teeth?
At 6 months of age, infants typically begin to develop their primary teeth; however, if a child has not yet erupted any teeth by 9 months, this may be classified as delayed dental eruption.
The timing of primary tooth emergence can be influenced by several factors, including adequate nutritional intake, exposure to textured foods to stimulate the gums, and genetic predisposition. If dental eruption is significantly delayed, it is advisable to consult a pediatric dentist to rule out any underlying abnormalities.
If infants are eating, sleeping, and playing normally, you might want to ask whether you, the baby's father, or other family members experienced delayed teething. If there is a family history of late teething, it is possible that your baby is also experiencing delayed teething.
3. Nutritional regimen for children with delayed teething
You should supplement your child’s diet with calcium-rich milk and vitamin D while frequently allowing your child to sunbathe to facilitate vitamin D synthesis, which in turn enhances calcium absorption.
Regarding dietary habits, as your child grows, their nutritional requirements will change. There will come a stage when breast milk alone is insufficient to meet your child's needs, typically occurring between 4 to 6 months of age. This is commonly the time when many infants are ready for complementary feeding. There is no rigid rule for initiating complementary feeding, but it is advisable to start gradually. You might consider introducing one complementary meal per day to observe how things progress.
Gradually transition to two or three complementary meals per day. You may observe that the more complementary food your child consumes, the less breast milk they will require. However, breast milk remains vital and should continue to be a part of your child's diet until they are at least 12 months old.
Delayed tooth eruption in a 9-month-old child is not hazardous, but to mitigate the risk of adverse complications later on, parents should consult a dentist if their child has not erupted any teeth by the age of 12 months. Additionally, parents should consider implementing certain dietary modifications and supplementation to support optimal dental development.
Furthermore, parents need to provide essential trace minerals such as zinc, lysine, chromium, selenium, and vitamin B1,... to adequately meet their child’s nutritional needs. Supplementing these essential vitamins can also assist in digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, improve appetite, and support overall well-being. Parents may utilize both dietary supplements and naturally derived functional foods to facilitate easier absorption for their children. The most critical factor is that improving your child's symptoms typically requires a long-term approach. Concurrently introducing multiple functional foods or frequently changing them over a short time may overwhelm your child's digestive system and be counterproductive. Therefore, parents must be genuinely patient and dedicated to accompanying their children throughout this process, while regularly accessing resources such as vinmec.com for valuable child care information.
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