Teething is a natural process of eruption of the first deciduous teeth. Over
the years, teething has been blamed for a wide array of childhood illnesses. Hippocrates
(fourth century B.C) and others observed that teething was associated with fever,
convulsions, diarrhea, and inflammation of the gums. The association of teething with
infant mortality was popular in medieval times. By the twentieth century, the
controversy surrounding teething subsided and the morbid conditions initially
associated with teeth in infants were found to have other causes. It is assumed that the
inflammatory mediators present in the dental follicle are responsible for the local
symptoms of teething. The most frequent signs and symptoms associated with teething
are irritability, drooling, decreased appetite, sleeping problems, rhinorrhea, fever,
diarrhea, rash, and vomiting.
Keywords: Deciduous teeth, Dental Follicle, Eruption, Teething.
