American Journal of Pediatrics

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Teething Problems: Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice Among Clinical Medical Students in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos

Received: 29 September 2018    Accepted: 12 October 2018    Published: 07 November 2018
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Abstract

Teething in children describes the period when deciduous teeth cut through the gum pads to appear in the oral cavity. Myths and controversies have been associated with this process. The main aim of this study is to find out the knowledge, attitude and intending practice on teething problems among clinical students in BHUTH, Jos. The sampling method was consecutive sampling of all the students until sample size was obtained. A total of 164 questionnaires were distributed and 164 were duly filled and returned. One hundred and sixty-four students were enrolled into the study. There were 103 (62.80%) females and 61 (37.20%) males with M:F ratio of 1:1.67. The knowledge about teeth eruption among the students was good in the definition of teething with 111 (76.7%) getting the correct answer. The knowledge on the total number of milk teeth was the worst with only 24 (14.6%) getting the correct answer. One hundred and thirty- five (82.3) agreed that teething causes irritability and lack of sleep in infants, 113 (69.0%) agreed that teething is also associated with drooling. Only 15 (9.2%) agreed that symptoms seen during tooth eruption are coincidental. The highest source of information about teething was from teachings (34.2%), with the least being from grandparents (2.7%). Of the 849 multiple responses on the symptoms of teething gotten from sources apart from teaching or lectures; 124 (14.6%) associated excessive crying with teething, closely followed by diarrhea with 117 (13.8%); while 7 (0.8%) of the responses associated convulsion with teething. Excessive crying was the highest symptom that the students, 127 (25.3%) of the 222 multiple responses, believed to be associated with teething. Vomiting was the lowest with 44 (8.8%). The attitude of the students towards having lectures/teachings/presentations on teething was good with 161 (98.2%) of the students agreeing to the need of teaching on teething. The intending practice on teething by the students was good with 108 (50.0%) of the 216 multiple responses saying they will send the children with symptoms of teething to see a paediatrician. One hundred (61.0%) will not give pacifiers to children with symptoms of teething, while 64 (39.0%) will give pacifiers to children with symptoms of teething. There are still a lot of controversies about the symptoms associated with teething, therefore the need to educate medical students about teething, so they can help in giving out the correct information about teething.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13
Published in American Journal of Pediatrics (Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2018)
Page(s) 89-93
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Knowledge, Teething, Clinical, Medical, Students, Jos

References
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[2] Mutave RJ. Effect of posters and mobile-health education strategies on teething beliefs and oral health knowledge among mothers in Nairobi. in Department of Periodontology/ Community and Preventive Dentistry, University of Nairobi. 2015: Nairobi.
[3] Krogman WM. Illustrated dictionary of dentistry. By S. Jablonski. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders. 1982. [cited 2018 Sep 22] Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ajpa.1330600317.
[4] Soliman NL, El-Zainy MA, Hassan RM, R. M A. Timing of deciduous teeth emergence in Egyptian children. East Mediterr Health J 2011; 17:875-81.
[5] Suri L, Gagari E, Vastardis H. Delayed tooth eruption: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. A literature review. Am J Orthod Dentofacial orthop 2004; 126:432-45.
[6] Tsang AKL. Teething, teething pain and teething remedies. Int Dentistry SA 2010; 12:48-61.
[7] Anderson JE. "Nothing but the tooth”: Dispelling myths about teething. Contemporary Pediatrics 2004;21:75-80.
[8] Guerini V. A history of dentistry from ancient times until end of eighteenth century. 1909, Lea and Febiger: Philadephia, New York.
[9] Jaber L, Cohen IJ, Mor A. Fever associated with teething. Arch Dis Child [Internet]. 1992 Feb [cited 2018 Sep 22]; 67(2):233–4. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1543387.
[10] Sarrell EM, Horev Z, Cohen Z, H. A. C. Parents’ and medical personnel’s beliefs about infant teething. Patient Educ Couns 2005; 57:122-5.
[11] Wake M, Hesketh K. Teething symptoms: Cross sectional survey of five groups of child health professionals. BMJ 2002; 325:814.
[12] Hassanali J, Amwayi P, Muriithi A. Removal of deciduous canine tooth buds in Kenyan rural Maasai. East Afr Med J 1995; 72:207–9.
[13] Wandera MN, Kasumba B. “Ebinyo”—The Practice of Infant Oral Mutilation in Uganda. Front Public Heal 2017;5:167.
[14] Denloye O, Bankole OO, Aderinokun GA. Teething myths among community health officers. Odontostomatol Trop 2005; 28:19–22.
[15] Markman L. Teething: facts and fiction. Paediatr. Rev 2009; 30:59-64.
[16] Ige OO, Olubukola PB. Teething myths among nursing mothers in a Nigerian community. Niger Med J 2013;54:107–10.
[17] Oziegbe EO, Folayan MO, Comfort, Adekoya-Sofowora A, Esan TA, Owotade FJ. Teething Problems and Parental Beliefs in Nigeria. J Contemp Dental Pract 2009; 10:1-9.
[18] Paul NI, Fatoki OP. Mothers Perception of Teething in Children. Niger J Heal 2014; 14:1-5.
[19] Aliyu, Duru C, Lawal T. Knowledge, attitude, and perception of teething myths among medical doctors in Nigerian hospitals. J Med Investig Pract 2014; 9:144-9.
[20] Wake M, Hesketh K, Lucas J. Teething and tooth eruption in infants: A cohort study. Pediatrics 2000; 106:1374–9.
[21] Aliyu I, Adewale A, Teslim LO. Teething myths among nursing mothers in North-Western Nigeria. Med J Dr DY Patil Univ 2015; 8:144-8.
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Author Information
  • Department of Paediatrics, Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria

  • Department of Surgery, Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Maryam Shehu, Hassan Shehu. (2018). Teething Problems: Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice Among Clinical Medical Students in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos. American Journal of Pediatrics, 4(4), 89-93. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13

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    ACS Style

    Maryam Shehu; Hassan Shehu. Teething Problems: Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice Among Clinical Medical Students in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos. Am. J. Pediatr. 2018, 4(4), 89-93. doi: 10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13

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    AMA Style

    Maryam Shehu, Hassan Shehu. Teething Problems: Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice Among Clinical Medical Students in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos. Am J Pediatr. 2018;4(4):89-93. doi: 10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13,
      author = {Maryam Shehu and Hassan Shehu},
      title = {Teething Problems: Knowledge, Attitude and Intending Practice Among Clinical Medical Students in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos},
      journal = {American Journal of Pediatrics},
      volume = {4},
      number = {4},
      pages = {89-93},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajp.20180404.13},
      abstract = {Teething in children describes the period when deciduous teeth cut through the gum pads to appear in the oral cavity. Myths and controversies have been associated with this process. The main aim of this study is to find out the knowledge, attitude and intending practice on teething problems among clinical students in BHUTH, Jos. The sampling method was consecutive sampling of all the students until sample size was obtained. A total of 164 questionnaires were distributed and 164 were duly filled and returned. One hundred and sixty-four students were enrolled into the study. There were 103 (62.80%) females and 61 (37.20%) males with M:F ratio of 1:1.67. The knowledge about teeth eruption among the students was good in the definition of teething with 111 (76.7%) getting the correct answer. The knowledge on the total number of milk teeth was the worst with only 24 (14.6%) getting the correct answer. One hundred and thirty- five (82.3) agreed that teething causes irritability and lack of sleep in infants, 113 (69.0%) agreed that teething is also associated with drooling. Only 15 (9.2%) agreed that symptoms seen during tooth eruption are coincidental. The highest source of information about teething was from teachings (34.2%), with the least being from grandparents (2.7%). Of the 849 multiple responses on the symptoms of teething gotten from sources apart from teaching or lectures; 124 (14.6%) associated excessive crying with teething, closely followed by diarrhea with 117 (13.8%); while 7 (0.8%) of the responses associated convulsion with teething. Excessive crying was the highest symptom that the students, 127 (25.3%) of the 222 multiple responses, believed to be associated with teething. Vomiting was the lowest with 44 (8.8%). The attitude of the students towards having lectures/teachings/presentations on teething was good with 161 (98.2%) of the students agreeing to the need of teaching on teething. The intending practice on teething by the students was good with 108 (50.0%) of the 216 multiple responses saying they will send the children with symptoms of teething to see a paediatrician. One hundred (61.0%) will not give pacifiers to children with symptoms of teething, while 64 (39.0%) will give pacifiers to children with symptoms of teething. There are still a lot of controversies about the symptoms associated with teething, therefore the need to educate medical students about teething, so they can help in giving out the correct information about teething.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AU  - Hassan Shehu
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