Question
When a child is over 2 years old but has a slower rate of teething than same age peers, with only 10 teeth emerging, accompanied by sparse hair and yellowing, as well as excessive sweating during sleep, how should the situation be assessed and handled?
Answer
If a young child has not grown their first milk tooth by 18 months of age or if the rate of teething is unusually slow, it should be considered whether there is an underlying systemic disease, such as rickets, cretinism, or severe malnutrition. In some individual cases, congenital dental anomalies may also cause delayed tooth eruption, and in such cases, an X-ray examination at a hospital should be conducted to determine the cause. The rate of tooth eruption is influenced by factors such as genetics, nutrition, chewing training, food shape, endocrine function, and diseases.