RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT OF TEETHING DIARRHEA AMONG FLORIDA PEDIATRICIANS

According to current medical opinion, teething diarrhea (TD) is a myth ; yet cross-cultural data document a worldwide distribution of popular belief in the association of frequent, loose stools with tooth erupti on. A mail survey in 1990 of 215 pediatricians practicing in Florida i nvestigated beliefs and practices related to TD. Thirty-five percent o f respondents believed there is a real association between diarrhea an d tooth eruption. When compared with pediatricians who do not believe in TD, these respondents were more likely to be more recent graduates of medical school, to be in general pediatric practice, to be female, to see more patients per week, and to practice in metropolitan areas. The most common explanations for the link between dentition and diarrh ea were changes in eating habits, increased salivation, and stress. Re spondents reported that both they and the parents of their patients te nded to view TD as less serious than other types of diarrhea, and both managed it accordingly. When compared with earlier studies, our findi ngs indicate that belief in TD among pediatricians may have increased since the 1970s. The results suggest a need for more empirical researc h on the effects of tooth eruption on bowel function.