Yes, it’s true that a few new-born babies can have one or two teeth. Sometimes, the teeth appear within a few days of birth. Generally, these teeth are located in the anterior region of the lower jaw. Medically, the teeth present at birth are called ‘natal teeth’ and those erupting a few days later to within a month of birth are known as ‘neonatal teeth’. The presence of neonatal teeth is more common than natal teeth.

There are various unfounded beliefs and notions associated with the presence of these teeth. A study of children born with these teeth involving 43 families at the Oral Health Sciences Centre, PGI, Chandigarh, found that 21 families had no notion attached to the presence of these teeth. Nineteen associated these with ill omens and superstition.

The notions expressed with conviction were:

1. not at all good to have teeth at birth,
2. bad for the family,
3. not good for maternal uncle,
4. bad for parents,
5. not good for both mother and child.

Interestingly, the presence of teeth at birth was considered a good omen by only three families, expressed as (i) children born with teeth are strong and do not die of illness, (ii) lucky for boys but not for girls, and (iii) irrespective of sex, presence of lower teeth is a good omen, while upper teeth are a bad omen.

The main problem with teeth in the newborn or just-born babies is that these can bite the mother’s breast during feeding, causing her pain and sometimes injury. Babies with teeth may also involuntarily injure their own tongue, which in the new born is very soft and not yet roughened (keratinised). Instinctive sucking and repeated rubbing of the tongue by the infant over the calcified teeth may result in an ulcer on the tongue.

In almost all cases, these teeth are milk teeth. Normally, the first milk tooth appears at about six months of age. Imagine these teeth erupting six months earlier! As a result, their roots are rudimentary, not developed at all. The teeth, particularly the ones present right at the time of birth, are, therefore, very shaky, and in danger of getting detached on their own and being swallowed, or accidentally dropping into the windpipe. If these teeth are very shaky, the dentist may decide in favor of extraction, which does not affect the final alignment of the permanent teeth.

If these teeth are not very shaky, not likely to get detached by themselves and the mother has no problem in breast-feeding, the dentist may decide to keep them. The sharp cutting edges may, however, be rounded to avoid injury to the mother and to the baby too.

There are records of babies born with teeth in early Greek and Roman history. The superstitions concerning this phenomenon at that time varied from claims that such children were exceptionally favored by fate to the belief that they were doomed. Louis XIV, Mazarin, and Richard III are quoted as examples of the former. In Poland, children born with teeth were considered to be monsters and bearer of misfortune. All these beliefs are, of course, irrational.