How does maternal stress affect a baby's tooth development?

Researchers found that infants born to mothers with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol during late pregnancy tended to develop their first teeth earlier, sometimes months ahead of their peers.

What is the potential impact of early tooth eruption in babies?

The researchers suggest that high maternal cortisol during late pregnancy may alter fetal growth and mineral metabolism, including the regulation of calcium and vitamin D levels, which are essential for bone and tooth formation. This could be a sign of broader developmental acceleration in the child.

Home / Health / Stressed Moms' Babies Sprout Teeth Faster, Study Finds

Stressed Moms' Babies Sprout Teeth Faster, Study Finds

Q: What did the University of Rochester study find about the link between maternal stress and baby teeth?

The study, published in Frontiers in Oral Health, showed that by 6 months of age, babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels had, on average, 4 more erupted teeth than those of mothers with the lowest cortisol levels.

18 Nov

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Summary

Infants born to mothers with higher cortisol levels develop first teeth earlier
Maternal stress may subtly accelerate biological aging in babies
Babies of high-cortisol moms had 4 more teeth by 6 months than low-cortisol moms

Stressed Moms' Babies Sprout Teeth Faster, Study Finds

According to a study published on November 1, 2025, in Frontiers in Oral Health, a mother's higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol during late pregnancy are associated with the earlier eruption of primary teeth in her infant. Researchers from the University of Rochester in New York State followed 142 women from disadvantaged backgrounds, collecting saliva samples during the later stages of pregnancy to measure cortisol and other hormone concentrations.

The team found that by 6 months of age, babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels had, on average, 4 more erupted teeth than those of mothers with the lowest cortisol levels. The researchers believe cortisol may affect fetal growth and mineral metabolism, key processes that shape bone and tooth formation. While the study also found minor links between other hormones and faster teething, cortisol emerged as the clearest factor.