Can Lines on Children’s Teeth Help Predict Mental Disorders in Adulthood?

Mental health conditions continue to cause difficulty and misery to millions of people around the world. It has proven difficult to predict whether or not certain individuals are likely to develop a mental disorder. However, new research suggests that factors relating to oral health may actually be a useful tool in predicting children at risk of mental disorders.

Recent research has found that the thickness of growth marks in deciduous (baby) teeth could potentially help to identify children at risk of mental health conditions.

Mental health disorders are difficult to live with. Treating disorders can be challenging. But the general consensus is that the earlier treatment begins, the better the chances are of successful treatment [1]. As a result, early identification is crucial.

The research argues for the creation of a tool to recognize children that have been exposed to adversity or trauma. These areas are a risk factor for psychological problems. The tool involves analyzing teeth.

Mental Health

Mental health disorders are very common. For instance, in the US, around 1 in 4 adults suffer from a mental disorder in any given year [2]. This shows the sheer level of numbers that mental health services need to treat.

Mental health conditions include Depression, Anxiety and eating disorders. More severe conditions include Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia.

These conditions can be debilitating. One of the main issues behind mental health disorders is that the causes are unknown. Therefore, any study that involves potential causes of mental health disorders can be very valuable.

The onset of mental health conditions appear to be linked to several factors. These include genetics, environmental factors and childhood trauma. However, further research is required to determine this.

Background: Growth Lines

This research involves “growth lines” on teeth. Also known as the striae of Reitzus, these are lines or bands that are present for some people in tooth enamel [3]. They can appear on both adult and baby teeth.

The research compiled is the result of years of work. The research was led by Erin C. Dunn. She works as a Social and Psychiatric Epidemiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital unit.

Dunn has a special interest in childhood trauma, which is known to be a major risk factor for mental health conditions [4]. She is particularly interested in the timing of adverse events and the subsequent impact they have. For instance, if trauma during a particular time of childhood has a very harmful effect [5].

Explaining the science of growth lines, Dunn has spoken about how “teeth create a permanent record of different kinds of life experiences” [5]. Dunn continued, “this includes exposure to sources of physical stress” [5].

This physical stress affects dental enamel and results in “growth lines” within the teeth. These lines will form based on childhood experiences. The thicker the growth lines are, the more stressful life the child appears to have had [5].

Dunn has developed a hypothesis that proposes the width of one specific variety of growth line, called the neonatal line, could indicate whether or not a child’s mother experienced psychological stress during pregnancy or the early life of the child.

The Research

The research was published in the JAMA Network Open by researchers at the Harvard University-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital [6].

To test her hypothesis, Dunn led a team that analyzed 70 canine baby teeth from 70 different children from the United Kingdom [6]. Moreover, these teeth had naturally fallen out between the ages of 5 and 7.

The mothers of the 70 children had been issued with a questionnaire during their pregnancy and soon after the birth of their child [6]. They were questioned on four factors that are known to affect child development. These were stressful pre-birth events, a history of psychological problems in the mother, neighborhood quality (for instance, poverty level, crime and safety) and the level of social support [6].

The results of these questionnaires were compiled. A microscope was then used to measure the width of the neonatal line [6]. The size of these lines were then correlated against the answers to the questionnaires to reach conclusions.

The results showed that Dunn’s hypothesis was correct. Mothers that had severe psychiatric problems, and those that experienced even mild psychological symptoms in the later stages of pregnancy were likelier to have children with thicker neonatal lines [6].

Conversely, mothers that received strong social support in the immediate aftermath of pregnancy resulted in thinner neonatal lines [6]. Similarly, children from “safe” neighborhoods had thinner neonatal lines [6].

What this research means

This research suggests that there is a clear link between childhood adversity and thick neonatal lines. Therefore, oral health can be a key indicator of potential psychological problems in the future.

Dunn said that the cause of neonatal lines isn’t entirely known. But she believed it was due to how high levels of the stress hormone cortisol is created when a mother is experiencing psychological symptoms [5]. As a result, this may interfere with the cells that create enamel.

Dunn also proposed that systemic inflammation is another candidate for causing growth lines [5]. It does appear that one consistency is psychological problems, and the impact they have on the lines.

In regards to next steps, Dunn is looking to further her research. Therefore, Dunn is hoping to replicate these findings in a bigger study [5]. Consequently, she has the long-term aim of introducing her hypothesis into a clinical setting [5].

Such an approach would have oral benefits for many, with growth lines becoming less common. Moreover, it could also have mental health benefits. In conclusion, this research serves as a reminder of the importance of looking after children, including their oral health.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provides a warm, welcome, and comfortable experience to their patients.

We recommend that our patients attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Importantly, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is helpful.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

• [1] Jurewicz, I. (2015). Mental health in young adults and adolescents – supporting general physicians to provide holistic care. Clinical Medicine. 15 (2): p151-154.
• [2] Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021). Mental Health Disorder Statistics. Available: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics. Last accessed: 11th November 2021.
• [3] Brand, R. W., & Isselheard, S.E. (2018). Anatomy of Orofacial Structures. 8th ed. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences.
• [4] Cuellar, A. (2021). Preventing and Treating Child Mental Health Problems. Policies to Promote Child Health. 25 (1): p111-134.
• [5] Gower, T. (2021). Baby teeth may be window to child’s risk of mental health disorders. Available: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/11/baby-teeth-may-help-identify-kids-at-risk-for-mental-disorders/. Last accessed: 11th November 2021.
• [6] Mountain, R. V., Zhu, Y., Pickett, O. R., Lussier, A. A., Goldstein, J. M., Roffman, J. L., Bidlack, F. B., & Dunn, E. C. (2021). Association of Maternal Stress and Social Support During Pregnancy With Growth Marks in Children’s Primary Tooth Enamel. JAMA Network Open. 4 (11): e2129129.