TEETHING BELIEFS: CHLLENGES FOR PARENTS
KNH/UoN Oral Health Symposium
Theme: Oral Health as an Integral part of General Health
Friday 4th July, 2014
Dr Regina J. Mutave BDS(Nbi), Mres (St. Andrews –UK), PGDip-RM (Nbi)
Dept. Periodontology/Community & Preventive Dentistry, University of Nairobi
Outline IntroductionSummary of beliefs about teethingChallenges to healthcare systemRationale for involvementConclusion
IntroductionDefining teethingOral health professional
Biological expression of tooth movement Predominantly axial direction From the tooth’s developmental position
within the jaws To the emergence in the oral cavity’
Hulland SA, Lucas JO, Wake MA and Hesketh KD. Paediatric Dentistry. 2000;
IntroductionOther’s perspective
Period of illness for child Fever Diarrhoea Vomiting Cough
Teething: Summary of beliefs 98% mother expected child to
experience illnesses
Mutave RJ, Kiarie J. PGDRM 2011
Teething: Summary of beliefsAuthor Study Design Diarrhoea Fever Sleep
disturbance
Wake et al (1999)Community survey
36% 70% 78%
Wake et al (2000)Prospective cohort – 21 children
from 3 day care centres over
2067 days
33% 48% 71%
Barlow et al
(2002)
Survey – paediatricians,
paediatric dentists, and parents
in IOWA
56.7% 74.6% 86.7%
Owais et al (2010)Survey among 958 parents
attending maternity and child
health clinics - Jordan
71.8% 84.9% 80.8%
Cunha et al (2004)Records of 1813 children aged
0-3 years 35% 46% 39%
Challenges to parentsUncertainty
Conflicting information even from Healthcare workers
Persistent cultural practices Myths
Bankole oo, 2004, Denloye et al 2005, Markman L 2009, Owais AI 2010, BarlowBS et al 2002, Hassanali et al 1995, Mosha HJ et al 1983
Evidence TodateCohort studies
No association between teething and systemic illnesses
New evidence identifies lack of exclusive breastfeeding with increased childhood illness
Poor and early weaning practices to blame too
Poor sanitation, living conditions
Wake et al 2000,
Challenges to Healthcare system
AnaestheticAnalgesics
MCH clinic nurse
Challenges to Healthcare system Traditional practices
Herbal use Canine tooth bud
enucleation (IOM)
Edwards et al 2008
Challenges to Healthcare system
Canine toothbud enucleation: Consequences
Haemorrhage Septicaemia Infectious diseases Death
Dentition Poor jaw bone
development Hypodontia Hypoplasia Malocclusion
Mosha et al 1983, Johnson et al 2005
Getting involved: RationaleOral health workers:
Custodians of tooth development knowledge
Other health professionals not well informed
‘CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE’
Getting involved Integration of oral health in various
stages Training curricula of other health
professionals Target MCH clinics with relevant
information
Missed opportunities
Content not specific to assisting mothers with information
Getting involved in timeEARLY IS BETTER
THIS COULD BE TOO LATE!!!
Conclusion
Explore the opportunitiesShare the knowledge Improve lives of populations
References Hulland SA, Lucas JO, Wake MA and Hesketh KD. Eruption of the primary
dentition in human infants: a prospective study. Paediatric Dentistry. 2000; 22(5): 415-421
Johnson NL PJ Riordan PJ. Tooth follicle extirpation and uvulectomy. Austr Dent J 2005;50:(4):267-272
Hassanali J, Amwayi P, Muriithi A. Removal of deciduous canine tooth buds in Kenyan rural Maasai. East Afr Med J 1995;72:207-209.
Mosha HJ. Dental mutilation and associated abnormalities in Tanzania. Odontostomatol Trop 1983;6:215-219.
Markman L. Teething : Facts and fiction. Pediatr. Rev. 2009;30;e59-e64 Owais AI, Zawaideh F, Bataineh O. Challenging parents’ myths regarding their
children’s teething. Int. J. Dent. Hygiene. 2010; 8: 28-34 Wake M, Hesketh K, Lucas J. Teething and tooth eruption in infants: a cohort
study. Pediatrics 2000; 106: 1374–1379. Barlow BS, Kanellis MJ, Slayton RL Tooth eruption symptoms: a survey of
parents and health professionals. J Dent Child. 2002; 69: 148-150.
THANK YOU
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