Number of teeth in a 3-year old child is:

Appeared in: Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Explanation

By the age of 3 years, a child has a complete set of 20 primary teeth.
These teeth are also commonly referred to as deciduous teeth, temporary teeth, or baby teeth.
The full set includes 8 incisors (for cutting), 4 canines (for tearing), and 8 molars (for grinding).
The eruption process for these teeth generally starts around 6 months of age and is typically complete by 30-36 months.

Option B: The number 25 does not correspond to any normal stage of human dentition. The primary dentition has 20 teeth, and the permanent dentition has 32 teeth.
Option C: A child typically has 12 teeth around 16 months of age, after the first molars have erupted but before the canines have fully emerged. By age 3, all 20 primary teeth are present.
Option D: A child has approximately 16 teeth between 16 and 22 months of age, after the canines have erupted. The final four teeth (the second molars) erupt after this to complete the set of 20.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Primary dentition and dental development in children as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Assessing the number of teeth is a standard part of a pediatric health check-up to monitor if a child's growth and development are on track.
Primary teeth are essential for proper nutrition through effective chewing, development of clear speech, and guiding the eruption of permanent teeth by holding space for them.
Nurses play a key role in educating parents about oral hygiene for toddlers, including brushing techniques and the importance of avoiding sugary drinks to prevent early childhood caries (cavities).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements of the question: the age of the child ('3-year old') and what is being asked ('Number of teeth').
This is a factual recall question based on knowledge of pediatric developmental milestones.
Recall the two sets of human teeth: primary (deciduous) and permanent.
Remember that the primary dentition is the first set of teeth, and it is complete in early childhood.
Access your knowledge about the total number of primary teeth (20) and the typical age by which they have all erupted (around 2.5 to 3 years).
Compare this information with the given options and select the one that matches the established facts.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Primary dentition and dental development in children.
Stem keywords: Number of teeth, 3-year old child
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Anatomy Grays 43e Vol 2 Part 1 pp. 87-89, 90-92

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 16-18

Practise the full Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.