tandkoorts

Tandkoorts is a Dutch folkloric term used to describe a febrile state that is traditionally associated with teething in young children. The word is a combination of tand (tooth) and koorts (fever). In contemporary medical language it is not a formal diagnosis, but rather a historic or colloquial label found in older medical texts and everyday speech.

Historically, tandkoorts appeared in Dutch-speaking communities as a rough description of symptoms thought to accompany dentition, including irritability, increased drooling, gum swelling, and sometimes mild fever. Over time, the interpretation of these symptoms shifted as medical knowledge about teething and childhood illness advanced. Today, most health professionals do not regard teething as a cause of high fever and emphasize that fever in young children is more often due to infection or other illnesses rather than the eruption of teeth.

In modern usage, tandkoorts is largely a cultural or historical reference rather than a clinical term. If a child has a significant or persistent fever, signs of illness, or if fever is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, medical evaluation is advised to rule out infections or other conditions. Teething-related discomfort is generally managed with non-pharmacological comfort measures and, when appropriate, age-appropriate remedies as advised by a healthcare provider.

See also: teething, dental development, febrile illness in children.