Is it normal for a 14 month old child to have only 2 teeth? the baby is on target with height, weight and developmental milestones. in fact he seems fairly bright. he just doesn't have more than 2 teeth. thank you, worried grammie

Dear : Dear grammie: don't worry. Every child will have a different eruption pattern. He may just be a late bloomer when it comes to this category. And for the record, a late eruption pattern has nothing to do with his intelligence :-) as long as he is healthy, everything should be just fine. Think of it this way.. Nothing you can do to make them erupt more quickly.

Since : Since your child has teeth it is an appropriate time for their first appointment with a pediatric dentist. As part of this first exam it can be determined if your child's dental development is appropriate.

I : I am a pediatric dentist and my son did not have his first teeth until the same time. Then by 18 months i would say he had all four front top and bottom teeth. There is a 3-6 month variation in eruption pattern at your sons age. I still would encourage you to see a pediatric dentist for an exam and establish a dental home for your child. Do not forget to brush those teeth and gums at last twice a day and no juice or milk during the night only water. Good luck!

While : While charts may say teeth will erupt at certain ages, they are averages. Some people have a different "dental age" than others, but that is ok. It is not linked to any other development issues, as some people can get their growth very early, yet still get their permanent teeth at a very late age. An exam with a dentist would be good, as they can determine, perhaps radiographically, the status of the teeth.

Within norma limits: Some children teeth faster than others, some slower. Probably nothing to be concerned about. That said, make an appointment with a pediatric dental specialist to asses dent-facial growth and development, teething pattern, Fluoride balance, diet, oral hygiene, and so much more. Don't wait until age 2-3, please go now.