History of Misconceptions Surrounding Teething

Spielman, Andrew I. and Forrai, Judit (2025) History of Misconceptions Surrounding Teething. KALEIDOSCOPE: MŰVELŐDÉS- TUDOMÁNY- ÉS ORVOSTÖRTÉNETI FOLYÓIRAT, 15 (30). pp. 414-418. ISSN 2062-2597

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Abstract

For much of history, teething was believed to be a dangerous phase for infants, associated with fever, swelling, colic, and even death. Ancient medical texts, including those by Hippocrates, documented teething-related symptoms, while the Romans saw being born with teeth as a sign of greatness. Treatments varied, from Soranus of Ephesus' olive oil and hare’s brain to Ambroise Paré’s gum-lancing method in 1575. By the 17th–18th centuries, teething was a recorded cause of death, often treated with leeches under humoral medicine. In the 19th century, dangerous teething syrups like Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup contained morphine, leading to overdoses. The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 finally regulated these remedies. Despite modern medicine dismissing teething as fatal, its history reflects evolving medical beliefs and unregulated treatments.

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