Question
An almost 8-year-old child has not started teething, and the parents want to know if there is a lack of certain elements and seek professional diagnosis.
Answer
Generally, permanent teeth begin to emerge between the ages of 6 and 10. If the permanent teeth are slow to emerge, possible causes include local factors such as infant tooth inflammation, early loss, or retained primary teeth, which may lead to delayed emergence of the upper central incisors. Additionally, habits like chewing with the gums, supernumerary teeth, dental tumors, or cysts may also obstruct the eruption of teeth. There are also situations where conditions like bent roots, early loss of primary molars or cuspids can lead to narrowed spaces, affecting the emergence of permanent teeth. During the tooth replacement period, children also need to supplement calcium appropriately, and it may be considered to give them suitable tooth replacement calcium supplements.