The practice if Infant Oral Mutilation as know as Ebinyo is a rooted traditional practice around Uganda and other parts of Africa, this myth is fuelled by long standing misinformation and inaccurate health information.
What Cause Teething in Infants?
Teething is caused by the natural process of a baby’s teeth emerging through the gums. It typically starts around 4–7 months of age and occurs as the primary (baby) teeth push through the gum tissue. This process can cause discomfort, swelling, and irritation in the gums Read more. https://www.healthline.com/health/teething
Many communities mistakenly believe that raised areas on an infant’s gums contain “false teeth” that must be extracted to prevent sickness. However, scientific evidence confirms that these symptoms are primarily caused by teething, infections, malaria, or poor hygiene—not by un-erupted teeth.
The process of IOM is often performed by untrained individuals using crude and unsterilised tools such as bicycle spokes, hot needles, knives, or nails, leading to severe pain, infections, excessive bleeding, and permanent dental damage. Many infants develop life-threatening conditions like tetanus, sepsis, and osteomyelitis due to unhygienic procedures. In severe cases, complications from IOM can result in death.
Some of the tool used to extract infant teeth
Treatment for IOM-related complications involves medical intervention, which may include antibiotics for infections, pain management, and in some cases, reconstructive dental surgery to address damaged gums and teeth. Healthcare professionals are equipped to provide proper diagnosis and safe treatment options for childhood illnesses, eliminating the need for harmful traditional practices.
Preventing IOM requires collective effort such as increasing awareness and education within communities about the dangers of the practice, Parents and caregivers should seek medical care from trained professionals instead of relying on traditional healers, Strengthening healthcare infrastructure, improving hygiene, and promoting vaccinations can reduce common childhood illnesses that contribute to the persistence of IOM. As part of the effort to promote health information.
This article is part of Factjaja’s ongoing initiative to investigate and expose health misinformation, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities.
