A Survey of Teething Beliefs and Related Practices among Child Healthcare Workers in Chennai City, India

Purpose: To determine the perceptions and related practices among the dentists and doctors regarding teething and its associated symptoms in Chennai.

Materials and Method: This was a cross sectional study which consisted of 140 child healthcare workers which included dentists and doctors in the hospitals and clinics in Chennai.

Results: Out of the 140 dentists and doctors, a total of 134 dentists and doctors believed in the systemic signs and symptoms of teething in children. Among which 66(49.3%) doctors and 68(50.7%) dentists believed in teething problems. The source of teething beliefs included 22(15.7%) on books, 55(39.3%) on local myths, 58(41.4%) on personal experience and 5(3.6%) on other sources(school and workshop acquaintances). The teething symptoms which were manifested by the children were vomiting 69(49.3%) ranked first in the third column, fever 65(46.4%) which ranked second in the first column is believed to be associated with teething, Irritability 62(44.3%) ranked second in the second column and followed by Gum redness 52(37.1%). The most common drugs which were prescribed by the doctors and dentists were, paracetamol 133(95%) and antibiotics 96(68.5%).

Conclusions: Most of the dentists and doctors do believe in the signs and symptoms caused during the eruption of teeth in children. They also prescribe drugs for those symptoms.