When will my child get his/her teeth?

“When will my child get teeth?” This is a common question we receive at our McMinnville dentist’s office. Teething can be a very arduous process for little people. Some kids’ teeth press up through the gums in a mad dash over the course of a few days, other little peoples’ teeth come through over the course of months. “Each child is individual, and so are his or her teeth,” Dr. Diesburg says. Some children may be born with teeth. Others don’t get their first tooth until well past their first birthday. But as a general rule, children will get four teeth for every six months of life.

• Girls generally get their teeth before boys do
• Lower teeth generally erupt before the upper teeth
• Teeth in both the upper and lower jaws usually erupt in pairs — one on the right and one on the left
• Primary teeth are smaller in size and whiter in color than the permanent teeth that will follow
• By the time a child is 2 to 3 years of age, all primary teeth should have erupted
• Drooling is not necessarily associating with teething

If your child is late at getting his/her teeth, there is usually no cause for alarm. But if he/she is 15 months or older, you may want to take him/her to the dentist for x-rays to ensure the teeth are there to come in. Late teething is not a sign of any other developmental issues. Whenever your child gets teeth, be sure to take care of them as you would adult teeth. Here are two handy timetables to follow as a general guideline for when you can expect your child’s teeth.