Abstract

KARJIKER, YI  and  MORKEL, JA. Teething symptoms and management during infancy - A narrative review. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2020, vol.75, n.2, pp.87-93. ISSN 0375-1562.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2519-0105/2020/v75no2a5.

Even though teething is a normal part of infant development, surprisingly, little is known about the causes and management of its signs and symptoms. Due to the paucity of knowledge in this area, the purpose of this review was to provide clarity on teething symptoms and management options. A PRISMA flow chart revealed 13 studies that were reviewed which reported on teething symptoms and signs as well as treatment and management options. The databases searched were EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library. The review showed that although conventional and generic treatment options are constantly in use, there remains no concrete evidence to prove signs and symptoms of teething nor evidence to disprove it. However, in this review, symptoms such as irritability, increased salivation, runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, rash, sleep disturbance and gum rubbing were most apparent. Further studies are needed to ascertain these findings objectively and conclusively. Future research is also required to understand and investigate the efficacy of treatment methods and approaches among children with teething symptoms.

Keywords : Teething; infancy; symptoms; treatment; review.

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