Overview
- The peer-reviewed analysis, published November 18 in Frontiers in Oral Health, followed 142 socioeconomically disadvantaged mother–infant pairs in the U.S.
- Infants of mothers with the highest measured cortisol in late pregnancy had about four more erupted teeth at six months than those of mothers with the lowest levels.
- Dentists counted erupted primary teeth at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, documenting wide variation in teething timelines across the cohort.
- Maternal diagnoses of depression or anxiety showed no association with measured hormone concentrations or the number of erupted teeth at any age.
- Weaker associations appeared for estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and triiodothyronine at specific ages, with authors hypothesizing roles for mineral metabolism and bone-cell activity while urging confirmatory, broader studies.