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Teething has been held responsible for everything from fevers to colic, but there鈥檚 no reason to believe the protrusion of teeth causes anything worse than mild discomfort, and there鈥檚 danger in misdiagnosis.
The idea that teething causes illness is not new, but neither is the . Dr. Cyril Josephs in the Correspondences of the British Medical Journal, 鈥淭he abnormal signs and symptoms ascribed to teething cover everything that a child can have wrong with him between the ages of six months and two years. Between these ages children are often unwell.鈥� Josephs having thirteen years earlier in 1957, 鈥淟et us admit once and for all, that teething causes only teeth.鈥�
Nonetheless, a of 1500 parents found that 鈥渁lmost 75% of the participants incorrectly attributed fever, diarrhoea and sleep disturbances to teething.鈥� 鈥淓veryone has an opinion about teething and how to treat it, and most of that advice is wrong or at least not based on any evidence,鈥� Dr. Clay Jones.
Indeed, remedies in the forms of drops, creams, chews, jewelry, and more are abundant, and far more nefarious cures were previously more popular. Acts such as splitting the gums open, administering lead or mercury-based compounds, and homeopathy pervade . This is undoubtedly a case of the 鈥渃ure鈥� being far worse than the 鈥減oison.鈥�
鈥淲hen older patients come in鈥�6-year-olds or 12-year-olds who are getting their molars, they describe some mild discomfort,鈥� Dentist Grant Ritchey. Why would babies be any different?
To put it succinctly, we turn to Dr. Jones again: 鈥淎t the most, teething probably produces mild discomfort.鈥� And to highlight the importance of challenging such myths, we turn once more to , 鈥淔or us to hang on to these diagnostic legends is to court danger.鈥�
