Socio-cultural practices of deciduous canine tooth bud removal among Maasai children

The removal of teeth amongst the Maasai is a traditional practice as part of an initiation or to make space for feeding in an event of diseases locking the jaw. Removal of deciduous canine tooth buds (DCB) among infants below 2 years has been reported in several studies to be common mainly amongst communities in East Africa, Ethiopia and Sudan. The main reason for the practice revolves around the belief that tooth buds or 'maggots' are false teeth, nylon or worms and are responsible for diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and growth retardation in children, amongst other illnesses. The main objective of this study was to assess the socio-cultural factors which contribute to this practice. The main methods of data collected included Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with mothers of children in that age group and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA). In-depth interviews (IDI)were conducted with key informants versed with Maasai traditions whereas observations were done within the manyattas where participants live. Proceedings at both the FGD and the IDI were recorded on paper and were analysed thematically. The study showed that the removal of canine tooth buds amongst children that started initially with calves--that diseases that cause diarrhoea in calves were brought about by the canine tooth buds that were turning reddish in colour--is deeply rooted and practised in the community despite sensitisation interventions mounted jointly by the University of Nairobi, Kenya Medical Research Institute and the Kenya Medical Training College, among others. This study discovered that canine tooth buds are associated with bad spirits that cause diarrhoea and vomiting and the belief that removing them is a sure way of providing a cure for all children's ailments.