The relationship between teething and handedness.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of tooth eruption sequences as an indicator of handedness. The investigation was carried out on 92 healthy children. The questionnaire form was filled out for each child. The form consisted of two parts. In the first part there were questions to determine the demographic features of the children. The second part consisted of the questions to clarify the eruption time and sequence of first primary teeth. Hand preference was evaluated by placing colored pencils directly in front of the child, who was asked to write an "X" on a piece of paper with each pencil. According to left-, right-, and indetermined handedness, all children regardless of sex were divided into three groups. The data were analyzed for statistical evaluation using tests for the difference between two population propositions. The mean eruption time of the first tooth in children was 7.5 +/- 1.7 months. The eruption time was found similar in both groups. No statistically significant difference was determined between the teeth eruption time and handedness (p >.05). The first tooth erupted was generally the lower central incisor. There was no difference tooth eruption and sex, gestation week (p >.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the teeth eruption time and sequence of the primary teeth (p >.05). There was statistically significant difference between sequence of the tooth eruption and handedness (p <.001). Consequently, the tooth eruption sequences may play an important role as an indicator in handedness.