Perception about teething among the nursing mothers of Mysore

Parents consider tooth eruption to be an important milestone in the child’s development. Process of tooth eruption generally referred to as teething is a natural process and may create some discomfort in infants. Parents’ false beliefs about signs and symptoms associated with teething may interfere with the prompt diagnosis and management of serious illnesses. Thus, there is a need to distinguish between false beliefs and facts associated with teething. The aims of this study were to assess the nursing mothers’ knowledge and belief about teething and to investigate the practices used to manage teething problems. A cross-sectional survey involved 205 mothers presented at pediatric OPD in JSS Hospital, using a validated structured questionnaire. More than 95% of the respondents thought that babies can experience medical problems as a result of teething. The commonest medical problems perceived to be associated with teething were diarrhoea (80.3%), fever (86.6%), loss of appetite (75%) and drooling of saliva (96%). This study showed a common misconception and myths about teething among mothers. Mothers should be better educated about the teething process and the proper management of teething troubles by the dental health care providers.