A recent study has shown that a mother’s exposure to psychological stress during pregnancy may lead to the emergence of the child’s first teeth faster than usual.
Although most children begin developing their milk teeth between the ages of six months and three years, this timing varies depending on several factors such as genetic, environmental, and nutritional factors, and perhaps now, factors that occur before birth as well.
Early teething in infants
The study focused on a group of mothers who gave birth on time and brought their children in for regular dental checkups during the first two years of their lives. By comparing hormone levels in mothers in the later stages of pregnancy with the number of teeth that appeared in each child at different ages, the researchers discovered a new association that had not been documented before.
Dr. Ying Meng from the University of Rochester led this study, which relied on data from 142 mothers from modest socioeconomic backgrounds in the United States.
During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, each participant provided a saliva sample to measure six hormones: “cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine,” all of which play a vital role in fetal growth, metabolic processes, and development.
The researchers followed each mother and child until the child reached the age of two years, recording the number of teeth that appeared at each visit.
Despite differences in teething patterns among children, one factor stood out: children whose mothers had higher levels of “cortisol” in the later stages of pregnancy had more teeth appear at six months of age.
On average, children of mothers with the highest levels of “cortisol” had about four extra teeth compared to children of mothers with lower levels.
The researchers explain that “cortisol,” known as the stress hormone, may affect cells that build and remodel bones. It may also alter calcium and vitamin D metabolism, two elements essential for tooth formation.
The results suggest that stress during pregnancy may accelerate the appearance of early biological aging signs in infants, as early teething may be an indicator of the effects of prenatal stress.
