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

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.