Late teething in an infant is usually defined as teeth coming in after the age of 13 months. Many people worry that late teething could be a sign of a bigger issue, but it is often nothing to worry about since every baby is different when it comes to milestones. A teething schedule could be affected by various factors, including genes, nutrition, or a medical condition.
Like any other milestones, some babies are just naturally late bloomers. This is especially true of infants whose older siblings and parents were the same way. A parent who did not cut their first tooth until well after a year old should therefore not be surprised when his baby experiences late teething, as well. Fortunately, though the average infant gets his first tooth between five and seven months, most pediatric dentists do not worry unless the baby's teeth have not come in by 18 months, especially if the pattern is hereditary.
In some cases, a child with no teeth by 18 months has poor nutrition. Typically, though, there are other warning signs of this condition aside from a lack of teeth. A baby that is underweight for his age and appears to have smaller, weaker limbs than expected should be checked out by a pediatrician. Some nursing babies do not get enough breast milk and need to supplement with formula in order to stay in the target weight range for their age. It is crucial that they get enough vitamin A, C, D, phosphorus, and calcium in order to form healthy teeth, so a diet lacking these nutrients may contribute to late teething.
There are some medical conditions that can result in a delayed teething schedule, but they also often come with other symptoms, as well. For example, hypothyroidism involves a thyroid that is under active, often resulting in fatigue, joint stiffness, headaches, and trouble losing weight, to name a few symptoms. Late teething, birth weight of more than eight pounds (3.6 kg), delayed walking, and late talking could all be early signs of hypothyroidism in an infant.
Of course, not all people who suffer from this condition display these symptoms, and sometimes early teething is also a sign of hypothyroidism. Conversely, all of these symptoms could be normal for some people, which is why testing is often required to diagnose the issue. Therefore, if late teething does not run in the family, and no teeth have come in by 18 months, it is important to see a pediatrician. A visit to the doctor can often rule out poor nutrition and other medical conditions early on.
