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