Can Baby Teeth Show Early-Life Stress?

Possibly, according to early research. A 2021 study found that a growth line formed in baby teeth around birth, called the neonatal line, was wider in children whose mothers had a history of depression or had depression or anxiety late in pregnancy, and narrower when mothers had strong social support after birth. The study was small and needs to be repeated. It isn't a test you can ask a dentist for, and it can't tell you anything about your own child.

What is the neonatal line?

Teeth form in layers, a little like tree rings. Enamel for the baby teeth starts forming before birth, and the stress of birth leaves a visible line in it, called the neonatal line. Anthropologists have long studied growth lines in teeth to learn about illness and poor nutrition in past populations. The researchers wanted to know whether the width of this line also reflects a mother's psychological stress around the time of birth.

What did the study do?

A team at Massachusetts General Hospital, led by psychiatric epidemiologist Erin Dunn, studied 70 baby canine teeth donated by families in the Children of the 90s study (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) in Bristol, England. The teeth had fallen out naturally when the children were 5 to 7 years old. The team measured the width of each neonatal line under a microscope.

Mothers had filled in questionnaires during and shortly after pregnancy about stressful life events, their mental health history, their neighborhood and how much social support they had.

What did they find?

• Neonatal lines were wider in children whose mothers reported severe depression or other psychiatric problems at some point in their lives.

• Lines were also wider when mothers had high levels of depression or anxiety at 32 weeks of pregnancy.

• Lines were narrower when mothers reported strong social support shortly after birth.

• These links held after accounting for other things known to affect the line, such as length of pregnancy and maternal weight.

What are the study's limits?

Seventy children is a small group, and nearly all were White and from one region of England. The study shows that certain experiences and a wider line tend to occur together. It doesn't show what causes the line to widen, and it didn't measure the children's own mental health. The researchers called for larger studies to confirm the findings before teeth could be considered a possible marker of early stress.

What does this mean for parents?

For now, nothing changes in how baby teeth are cared for, and there's no reason to have a child's teeth examined for growth lines. The more useful takeaway is the role of support. Mothers who had strong social support after birth had children with narrower lines, which fits a broad body of research on how much support matters for parents and babies.

If you're pregnant or a new parent and feel depressed or anxious, tell your doctor. For everyday care of young children's teeth, see our parent's guide to early childhood dental problems. Related research summaries cover childhood stress and early molars and parents' wellbeing and toddler toothbrushing.

Sources

1. Mountain RV, Zhu Y, Pickett OR, et al. Association of maternal stress and social support during pregnancy with growth marks in children's primary tooth enamel. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(11):e2129129. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.29129. Retrieved via PubMed (PMID 34751761).

2. Massachusetts General Hospital. Baby teeth may one day help identify kids at risk for mental disorders later in life. Press release, November 2021.

About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.

Celebrity Teeth Before and After: What Usually Changes

When a well-known person's smile looks different over the years, the change usually comes from a handful of familiar treatments: whitening, veneers or crowns, gum contouring and orthodontics. Photos can't tell you which treatment was done, why, or what the person's teeth were like underneath. What they can show is how much shape, color and the gum line affect a smile, which is useful when you're thinking about your own.

Why can't you tell from a photo what was done?

Lighting, camera angle, makeup, lip position, retouching and filters all change how teeth look. A smile can look whiter in one photo simply because of the light, or wider because of the angle. Only an examination shows the health of the teeth and gums, the bite and what treatment, if any, was done. That's why I don't diagnose people from pictures, and why this article talks about treatments rather than individuals.

Which treatments are behind most visible smile changes?

Whitening

Whitening is often the first and simplest change. It lightens natural teeth without removing tooth structure. Very bright results stand out most on camera. Our teeth whitening page explains the options.

Veneers and crowns

When teeth suddenly look more uniform in color, length and shape, porcelain veneers or crowns are a common reason. Done well, they look like natural teeth. Done without attention to translucency and proportion, they can look too white, too even or too bulky. Those are the results people tend to notice.

Gum contouring

Some people show a lot of gum when they smile, or have teeth that look short because gum tissue covers part of them. Reshaping the gum line can make teeth look longer and more even. When the bone sits close to the gum line, a more involved procedure may be needed, so this always starts with an evaluation.

Orthodontics and clear aligners

Many adults straighten their teeth with braces or clear aligners. Alignment changes a smile without altering the teeth themselves, and it is often done before veneers or bonding so less tooth structure needs to be removed.

Keeping a gap or a distinctive feature

Not every change goes toward uniform teeth. Some performers have kept a gap between their front teeth, or another distinctive feature, as part of their recognizable look. If your teeth and gums are healthy, there's no clinical reason to close a stable gap you like. Our article on diastemas covers when a gap is worth a closer look.

What can you learn from celebrity smiles for your own?

• Start with health. Gum disease, decay or a bite problem should be treated before cosmetic work, or the result won't last.

• Bring photos you like. They help show what appeals to you, such as a brighter shade or softer shapes. Your face, lips and gums are different, so the design is built around you.

• Natural usually wears better. Teeth that match your skin tone, age and face tend to look right in person, not only in photos.

• Ask what each step changes. Whitening changes color, aligners change position, and veneers or bonding change shape. Many smiles need only one of these.

Thinking about a change to your smile?

New-patient visits at our office are about two hours, normally an hour with me and an hour in hygiene, so there is time to talk about what you'd like and to check the health of your teeth and gums first. Read more about cosmetic dentistry and our new patient visit, or contact the office at 3675 Hendricks Avenue in Jacksonville. You can also call 904-398-1549.

Sources

1. American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Veneers.

2. American Dental Association. Whitening (Oral Health Topics).

About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.