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Prospective longitudinal study of signs and symptoms associated with primary tooth eruption

Joana Ramos-Jorge1, Isabela A Pordeus, Maria L Ramos-Jorge

  • 1Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. joanaramosjorge@gmail.com

Pediatrics
|August 10, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Teething is linked to infant irritability, increased salivation, runny nose, and appetite loss. However, severe symptoms like fever are not typically caused by primary tooth eruption.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infant Health
  • Oral Development

Background:

  • Primary tooth eruption, commonly known as teething, is a significant developmental milestone in infants.
  • Understanding the associated signs and symptoms is crucial for accurate infant care and diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between primary tooth eruption and the manifestation of common teething signs and symptoms in infants.
  • To differentiate between typical teething discomforts and more severe conditions.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study followed 47 non-institutionalized infants aged 5-15 months over 8 months.
  • Daily monitoring included tympanic/axillary temperature readings, oral examinations, and maternal interviews regarding 13 signs and symptoms.
  • Infants with up to 7 erupted incisors and no chronic conditions were included.

Main Results:

  • Primary tooth eruption correlated with a rise in tympanic temperature on the eruption day (P = .004) and other symptoms.
  • The most frequent teething-associated symptoms were irritability (P < .001), increased salivation (P < .001), runny nose (P < .001), and loss of appetite (P < .001).
  • Maximal tympanic and axillary temperatures recorded were 36.8°C and 36.6°C, respectively.

Conclusions:

  • Infant irritability, increased salivation, runny nose, appetite loss, diarrhea, rash, and sleep disturbances are associated with primary tooth eruption.
  • The study findings suggest that severe symptoms, such as high fever, are unlikely to be solely caused by teething.
Abstract

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