TEETHING TYPICALLY BEGINS around 4 to 6 months of age and can last through toddlerhood. When teeth begin to erupt, the gums
become swollen at the location of the future tooth, causing pain and irritation (
Ricci and Kyle, 2009
). An infant's pain may be minimal for some episodes of teething, while other episodes
can cause significant discomfort. The discomfort can lead to fussiness, inability
to sleep, and decreased oral intake (
Ricci and Kyle, 2009
). Parents attempt to make their infant as comfortable as possible throughout this
process, commonly turning to home remedies, teething rings, and over the counter topical
anesthetics and oral medications.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and FamiliesAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2009). Ages & stages: Teething: 4 to 7 months. Retrieved from http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-care/Pages/Teething-4-to-7-Months.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000000000000000&nfsatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token.
- Acquired methemoglobinemia: A retrospective series of 138 cases at 2 teaching hospitals.Medicine. 2004; 83: 265-273https://doi.org/10.1097/01.md.0000141096.00377.3f
- Methemoglobinemia: A systematic review of the pathophysiology, detection, and treatment.Delaware Medical Journal. 2011; 83: 203-208
- Methemoglobinemia caused by topical teething preparation: A case report.The Scientific World Journal. 2004; 4: 517-520
- Severe methemoglobinemia from topical benzocaine 7.5% (Baby Orajel) use for teething pain in a toddler.Clinical Pediatrics. 2009; 48: 209-211
- Severe methemoglobinemia linked to gel-type topical benzocaine use: A case report.The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2010; 38: 601-606
FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration). (2011). FDA drug safety communication: Reports of rare, but serious and potentially fatal adverse effects with the use of over the counter (OTC) benzocaine gels and liquids applied to the gums or mouth. Retrieved from http://www.fdagov/drugs/drugsafety/ucm250024.html.
- Endogenous methemoglobinemia associated with diarrheal disease in infancy.Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 1996; 23: 1-7
- Methemoglobinemia.Clinics in Haematology. 1981; 10: 99-122
- Benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia based on the Mayo Clinic experience from 28 478 transesophageal echocardiograms.Archives of Internal Medicine. 2007; 167: 1977-1982
- Methemoglobinemia induced by topical anesthesia: A case report and review.The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 1999; 318: 415-418
- A 3-year-old boy with fever and oral lesions.Pediatric Annals. 2009; 38: 613-616
Lexi-Comp, Inc. (Lexi-DrugsTM ). Lexi-Comp, Inc.; March 15, 2012.
- Hyperbaric oxygenation in the treatment of life threatening isobutyl nitrite induced methemoglobinemia.Inhalation Toxicology. 2006; 18: 1047-1049
- Concise review: Methemoglobinemia.American Journal of Hematology. 1993; 42: 7-12
- All you really need to know to interpret arterial blood gases. 2nd ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD1999
- Methaemoglobin formation induced by aromatic amines and amides.Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 1967; 19: 146-154
- Methemoglobinemia and benzocaine.Gastroenterology Nursing. 2007; 30: 342-345
- Maternity and pediatric nursing. Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, PA2009
- Hole's human anatomy and physiology. 10th ed. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY2004
- Topical benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia in the pediatric population.Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 2008; 22: 335-340
- Atypical presentations of methemoglobinemia from benzocaine spray.Hawai'i Medical Journal. 2011; 70: 125-126
- Perioperatively acquired methemoglobinemia in a preterm infant.Paediatric Anaesthesia. 2002; 12: 284-286
- Neonatal and pediatric pharmacology: Therapeutic principles in practice. 4th ed. Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, PA2011
Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 23, 2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
