Related Experiment Videos
Teething and tooth eruption in infants: A cohort study
1Research and Policy Unit, Centre for Community Child Health, Department of Dentistry, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
Insights
This study found no strong link between tooth eruption and common infant symptoms like fever. Parent beliefs about teething symptoms in infants are common but not supported by this evidence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infant Health
- Dental Development
Background:
- Teething in infants is commonly associated with various symptoms, yet scientific evidence supporting these beliefs is limited.
- Clinical management decisions are often influenced by these unverified assumptions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between tooth eruption in infants and common symptoms attributed to teething.
- To examine correlations between tooth eruption, fever, and other reported infant symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study was conducted with 21 children aged 6 to 24 months.
- Data collection included daily temperature recordings, dental examinations for tooth eruption, and daily symptom questionnaires completed by parents and staff.
- Statistical analyses, including logistic regression, were used to assess associations between tooth eruption and symptoms.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between tooth eruption and infant temperature (fever).
- Only parent-reported loose stools showed a weak association with tooth eruption, which disappeared when the definition of 'toothday' was broadened.
- Staff reports did not correlate tooth eruption with any symptoms, and parents retrospectively attributed various symptoms to teething.
Conclusions:
- The study did not confirm strong associations between tooth eruption and common teething symptoms in infants.
- The findings challenge prevalent parental and professional beliefs regarding teething symptoms.
- These beliefs may impact the appropriate clinical management of common infant illnesses and behaviors.
Objective:
Many symptoms are attributed to teething in infants. There is little evidence to support these beliefs, despite their implications for clinical management. We investigated relationships between tooth eruption, fever, and teething symptoms.
Methods:
Prospective cohort study.
Participants:
Twenty-one children 6 to 24 months old attending 3 suburban long-day care centers >/=3 days/week. Measures. 1) Daily temperature recording and examination of alveolar ridges for tooth eruption (dental therapist). 2) Daily questionnaires-symptoms over preceding 24 hours (staff and parents independently). 3) Final questionnaire-beliefs/experiences related to teething (parents). Definitions. Eruption day-the first day a tooth could be seen or felt. Non-toothdays-more than 28 days clear of any eruption day. Toothdays-the 5 days preceding eruption days.
Results:
Data were collected for 236 toothdays and 895 non-toothdays pertaining to 90 teeth. Child temperatures were similar on toothdays and non-toothdays (36.21 vs 36.18, paired t test). Logistic regression adjusted for age did not show an association between toothdays and temperature (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80, 2.27 for high fever; OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.48, 3.77 for low fever). Logistic regression models allowing for within-child cluster effects and age were fitted to daily staff and parent reports of mood, wellness/illness, drooling/dribbling, sleep, diarrhea, strong diapers, red cheeks, and rashes/flushing. Only parent-reported (but not staff-reported) loose stools were significantly associated with tooth eruption (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1. 26, 2.73). When the toothday definition was varied to 10 days preceding or 5 days surrounding tooth eruption, this single significant association was no longer apparent (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.98, 2.05 and OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 0.97, 2.21, respectively). All parents retrospectively reported that their own children had suffered a range of teething symptoms.
Conclusions:
This study did not confirm the expected strong associations between tooth eruption and a range of teething symptoms in children 6 to 30 months old, although we cannot rule out the possibility that weak associations may exist (Type II error). These findings contrast with strong parent and professional beliefs to the contrary. Such beliefs may preclude optimal management of common patterns of illness and behavior in young children.teething, infants, symptoms, tooth eruption, illness.