Baby teeth may one day help identify kids at risk for mental disorders later in life

Like the rings of a tree, teeth contain growth lines that may reveal clues about childhood experiences. The thickness of growth marks in primary (or “baby”) teeth may help identify children at risk for depression and other mental health disorders later in life, according to a ground-breaking investigation led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) using data from a world-renowned health study in Bristol and published in JAMA Network Open.