By: Vaishnavi Raju | Date: February 9, 2021

Baby Formation – Signs And Stages Of Baby Bone And Teeth Development

"The first stage of baby tooth development happens before birth".

The fetal development phase and the infancy stages are pivotal to bone and teeth formation of the child. Your baby’s teeth and bones start developing soon after conception. It is therefore important for the mother to take care of her health and nutrition before the child is born so that they have strong teeth and bones.
In this article, we explore the development of baby bones and teeth with nutrition tips to enhance the growth of your baby.

Development Of Baby Bones & Teeth

Baby bones initially form during fetal development and baby formation stage. At this point, the baby’s bones are made entirely of cartilage. This cartilage is a type of connective tissue that is strong, yet flexible. This flexibility allows babies to curl up in the confined space of the womb. It also helps the baby move through the birth canal during labour.

As the baby grows into a toddler, the actual bone will replace this cartilage.
Similarly, your baby’s teeth develop when they are in the womb. They are already present in the jaws at birth. However, these baby teeth – also called Milk Teeth only start to appear when the baby is between 6 months and 1 year.

How Many Bones In Newborn Baby?

The development of bone growth and baby formation is a fascinating process.

At birth, a baby is born with approximately 300 bones. As the baby grows, many of the baby bones fuse. The fusing of the bones occurs throughout the body. As the baby grows, the actual number of bones will decrease to form the 206 bones that adults have.

Signs Of Baby Teething

Teething is a process that occurs when the baby is between 6 to 24 months of age. The medical term for teething is ‘Odontiasis’. During this stage, the baby’s tooth breaks through the gums. In rare cases, newborns may be born with a tooth or have a tooth come through in the initial weeks after birth.

There are many signs of baby teeth development. These symptoms usually start a few days before a tooth comes in and continues until a new tooth finally breaks through the gums.

Irritability And Crankiness

During baby teeth development, your baby may fuss and cry more than usual. This crankiness may also affect their sleep cycles, causing them to wake up at night.

Increased Drooling

It is very common for teething babies to dribble a lot. This drool helps to soothe their gums. Often the excess saliva can also cause a rash for the baby.

Biting Hard Objects

During baby teeth development, babies often put various objects in their mouth to bite or chew. Biting on hard objects helps to massage the gums and ease any discomfort.

Sore Gums

Often during the teething stage, the spot where a tooth is erupting may be swollen, tender and red. This can cause the baby to refuse food.

Low-grade temperature

Sometimes, during the teething stage, your baby’s temperature may be slightly elevated.

Other miscellaneous symptoms include:

• Bringing hands to the mouth
• Rubbing the cheek or ear region due to pain
• Pulling the ear on the same side as the emerging tooth
• Flushed cheeks
• Sucking fingers

Main Parts Of A Tooth

The major parts of each tooth:

• Enamel – This is the outer layer of the tooth and the hardest material in the human body. It protects the Crown.
• Crown – The part of the tooth that sits above the gums
• Dentin – This is the inner layer of the tooth. Most of the tooth is made of the dentine.
• Pulp – This is the soft tissue of the tooth and contains the nerves and the blood vessels.
• Root – It is the part of the tooth below the gums. It secures the tooth to the jaw. Depending on the size of the tooth, it may have between one and three roots.
• Cementum – the hard material that covers the surface of the root.

Baby Tooth Development Stages

Before Birth

The first stage of baby tooth development during baby formation happens in utero. It is the mineralization of dentin. By the third month of pregnancy, the enamel grows, but the first tooth only erupts when the baby is between the ages of 6 and 12 months.

6 To 13 Months

For most babies the first tooth to emerge is usually a middle front tooth on the lower jaw, followed by the second central incisor on the lower jaw.

8 To 19 Months

The next set of teeth that emerge are the lateral incisors in both the upper and lower jaws. After this, the first set of upper and lower molars erupt.

16 to 33 Months

The canine teeth erupt in both the upper and lower jaws between the ages of 16 and 23 months. One of the last set of teeth to erupt are the upper and lower molars between the ages of 25 and 33 months.

Most children have their full set of 20 primary teeth by the age of three years.

6 years and older

From the age of about six years, the baby teeth start to fall out to make way for the permanent adult teeth. By the age of 21 years, most adults have 32 permanent teeth.

When Does Baby Bones & Teeth Start Growing?

The bones and the teeth develop during the baby formation stage in the uterus.

Eat Right For Baby Teeth Growth

Nutrition plays an important role in baby formation including the development of the brain, bones and baby teeth development. The nutritional choices made by the mother during pregnancy are essential in providing calcium and other minerals the baby needs to develop properly – especially the oral development of the fetus.

Expectant mothers need to get adequate amounts of calcium and Vitamin D for baby teeth development and baby bones development. Therefore, pregnant mothers are encouraged to eat a diet rich in calcium. This includes dairy products such and green vegetables. They are also advised to increase their intake of vitamin D through foods and adequate sun exposure.

At the age of around 6 years, most children have their milk teeth falling out, one at a time, to make way for the permanent teeth.

Calcium & Vitamin D For Baby Bones & Teeth

During the baby formation in pregnancy and the infancy stage, babies must get proper nutrition to aid their growth. Calcium and Vitamin D promote healthy growth and bone, joint and teeth development. Deficiency in calcium for pregnant women can also result in developmental complications for the fetus. It can affect the bone mineral density of the fetus and newborn.

However, often a mother’s diet is not sufficient to provide the nutrient to the baby. In this case, doctors recommend calcium and Vitamin D supplement.

Some doctors may prescribe calcium supplements from the first trimester, while some may advise you to start from 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg of calcium every day from 14 weeks up to six months.

The bottom line,

A balanced diet with adequate amounts of Vitamin D and calcium is important for every woman. These nutrients become increasingly important during pregnancy and baby formation. If you find it difficult to get calcium and Vitamin D in your diet, you can speak to your doctor about supplements that will help your baby grow stronger. Hera’s Strong Baby Enhancer gives you all the calcium and Vitamin D for a stronger baby with healthy bones, teeth and joints.