Teething in Children – Fact and Fiction

Teething is a natural process of eruption of the first deciduous teeth. Over the years, teething has been blamed for a wide array of childhood illnesses. Hippocrates (fourth century B.C) and others observed that teething was associated with fever, convulsions, diarrhea, and inflammation of the gums. The association of teething with infant mortality was popular in medieval times. By the twentieth century, the controversy surrounding teething subsided and the morbid conditions initially associated with teeth in infants were found to have other causes. It is assumed that the inflammatory mediators present in the dental follicle are responsible for the local symptoms of teething. The most frequent signs and symptoms associated with teething are irritability, drooling, decreased appetite, sleeping problems, rhinorrhea, fever, diarrhea, rash, and vomiting.