Irritable crying, cold-like snuffling and bright red cheeks are not signs of teething in a baby, in spite of anything your doctor, nurse or pharmacist might tell you, according to a paper in the British Medical Journal.
For a quarter of a century the evidence has been clear that teething is at worst a minor discomfort, and yet health professionals continue to believe it can be the cause of colds and infections, says the study. Worse, they may be overlooking genuine illness.
"There can be no excuse for ascribing fevers, fits, diarrhoea, bronchitis or rashes to teething," ran a definitive piece in the BMJ in 1975. But, says the article, that is wisdom that seems to have been ignored. From parents to paediatricians, the general belief is that teething causes symptoms and that dosing a baby with paracetamol or rubbing medicated gel on the gums is the appropriate thing to do.
Not so, says the paper. "Good evidence now exists from careful prospective studies that teething is associated with, at most, minor and relatively infrequent symptoms."
The researchers carried out a study in Australia, questioning 100 child health nurses, 100 pharmacists, 150 GPs, 100 dentists and 100 paediatricians. They also surveyed parents. In every group, they found that most believed teething caused some symptoms.
Nurses believed teething caused the largest number of health problems - a mean of 9.2 symptoms. They were the only ones likely to put down nappy rash, feeding problems, pulling ears, loose stools, cold symptoms and smelly urine to teething. Paediatricians scored lowest, with a mean of 2.8 symptoms, followed by dentists with 4.4.
Thirty-two pharmacists and 19 dentists reported that teething may cause fever, compared with seven nurses, 12 GPs and two paediatricians. Only nine paediatricians, but 30%-50% of the members of other groups, believed that teething could cause colds and ear infections.
Paracetamol and teething gels were recommended by all the groups and 41 pharmacists recommended sedating medication.
Melissa Wake and Kylie Hesketh of the centre for community child health of the Royal Children's Hospital in Parkville, Victoria, say the widespread belief in the unpleasantness of teething could be dangerous.
"These beliefs may prevent professionals from effectively managing some of the common developmental issues of infancy and might lead to late diagnosis of important illness," they write. "Furthermore, professionals widely recommend medication for 'teething'. Will these beliefs alter, now we know how innocuous teething is?"
Fiona Smith, paediatric adviser at the Royal College of Nursing, said that the teething myths are just as rampant in the UK. "In terms of folklore, that still exists, passing from generation to generation in terms of certain practices in children's care.
"There is a whole education issue here - and educating the public and parents and grandparents as well as the professionals."
