Teething Problems and Parental Beliefs in Nigeria

Abstract

Aim:To determine signs and symptoms associated with teething, parental beliefs about teething, and the effects of socioeconomic status on teething in Nigerian children. Methods and Materials:A cross-sectional study consisting of 1,013 mothers of children between the ages four to 36 months who visited the immunization clinics at the Community Health Centres in Ife Central and Ife East Local Government Areas. Data was analyzed using STATA (Intercooled release 9) for Windows. Results:A total of 765 mothers (75.5%) reported systemic signs and symptoms in their children. Fever (51.8%), diarrhea (12.5%), and vomiting (2.9%) were the most prevalent symptoms and signs reported. Teething problems were reported by 60% of mothers from a high socioeconomic class, as well as 76.7% and 77.9% from middle and low socioeconomic classes, respectively. Interestingly, 65.5% of mothers believed teething should be accompanied with systemic signs and symptoms such as fever (42.1%), diarrhea (13.9%), and vomiting (0.6%). No significant difference was noted between breastfeeding status, gender of the child, and reported systemic signs and symptoms noticed by the mothers. Conclusion:Most mothers in the study reported signs and symptoms adduced to teething in their children irrespective of their beliefs. Fever ranked highest of the signs and symptoms reported. Mothers of children from the high socioeconomic class reported fewer teething symptoms. Breastfeeding status and gender of the child had no effect on teething problems in the children studied. Elizabeth O.Abstract 2 Clinical Significance: Most signs and symptoms adduced to teething by parents may actually be due to underlying infections. Thus, there is a need to rule out occult infection during the tooth eruption period.

Misconceptions and traditional practices toward infant teething symptoms among mothers in eastern Sudan

“…An urge to bite (93.1%), fever (87.0%), and diarrhea (83%) were the most common signs and symptoms reported by Saudi parents 6 . Contrary to our findings, fever (51.8%), diarrhea (12.5%), and vomiting (2.9%) were the most commonly reported signs and symptoms by Nigerian mothers 10 .…”

“…In our study, there was no association between the child's sex and systemic signs and symptoms reported by the mother. This is consistent with the findings of Oziegbe et al 10 , who also found no significant relationship between the child's sex and signs and symptoms noticed by the mother 9 . Also, a study in Ethio-pia reported that 91.6% of the mothers believed that teething was associated with various symptoms, such as diarrhea (90.7%) 11 .…”

“…Therefore, ideas about teething must be assessed and changed if they are not based on evidence. Although several relevant studies have been conducted in African and other neighboring countries 6,10,11 , little research has been conducted in Sudan and none in eastern Sudan 8 . Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess mothers' knowledge about teething and to evaluate their practices for alleviating teething symptoms in eastern Sudan.…”

Relação entre a erupção dos dentes decíduos e manifestações locais e/ou sistêmicas: revisão integrativa

“…Esses estudos foram realizados com amostras maiores, e apesar de também apresentarem baixo nível de evidência científica devido à subjetividade e à natureza transversal das pesquisas, assim como observado nos estudos baseados na opinião dos pediatras e odontopediatras, as manifestações mais relatadas foram diarreia e irritabilidade. A irritação ou coceira gengival foi o sintoma mais relatado pelas mães, com mais de noventa por cento dos relatos em alguns estudos 16,20 . A febre também foi um evento bastante citado nessas pesquisas.…”

“…É importante observar a discrepância nos resultados dos estudos de Cunha et al 16 e de Owais, Zawaideh, Bataineh 19 , realizados no Brasil e Jordânia, respectivamente. Ambos os estudos foram realizados com grandes números amostrais, entretanto, enquanto no estudo brasileiro 95% das mães relataram ter observado irritação gengival nas crianças, no estudo da Jordânia, mais da metade das mães não relataram nenhum sintoma relacionado à erupção dentária.…”