Symptoms associated with teething in Tanzania

BackgroundSeveral local and systemic symptoms have been associated with teething in infants.AimTo determine the symptoms associated with infant teething and related practices among Mbagala residents in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.MethodsA cross sectional descriptive study involving 200 mothers with their children aged 6–36 months. A structured questionnaire was used to inquire on the local and systemic symptoms associated with teething and measures taken by the parents in the event their children get those symptoms. Data entry and analysis was done using an SPSS program version 11.0.ResultsNinety-seven percent of the participants believe that teeth emergence is associated with some systemic disturbances, mostly recurrent fevers (83.5%) and diarhoea (73%). Other often associated symptoms were runny nose (17.5%), increased body temperature (16.5%) and excessive salivation/drooling (11.9%). Sixty percent of the parents stated that their children had suffered some symptoms related to teething. Most of them were sent to hospital for management or were given self medication.ConclusionThe results of this study show that fever, diarrhoea, gingival swelling, gum irritation and redness are the symptoms often associated with teething. Most of the children who had suffered teething symptoms were taken to hospital.