Can teething cause a fever up to 38.5°C?
Oct 12, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Jing Quan
Introduction
Fever refers to an elevated body temperature. Teething may cause a baby's oral, axillary, or rectal temperature to reach 38.5°C, but it may not—this should be assessed in conjunction with the individual's constitution. Teething can lead to mild fever in infants, but typically the increase is slight and does not raise oral, axillary, or rectal temperatures to 38.5°C. Some infants may not experience noticeable fever at all during teething.
Fever refers to an elevated body temperature. Under normal circumstances, teething may cause a baby's oral, axillary, or rectal temperature to reach up to 38.5°C, but this does not always occur and should be assessed in consideration of the individual's constitution. Detailed analysis is as follows:
Some infants may experience teething accompanied by fever, typically with oral, axillary, or rectal temperatures ranging from 37.5°C to 38.5°C. This type of fever is usually caused by the immune system's response to the process of tooth eruption and generally does not lead to significant discomfort. During teething, infants may also exhibit other symptoms such as increased drooling, swollen gums, chewing on objects, irritability, and mood swings. These symptoms may occur alongside fever but are usually short-lived and do not persist for long periods.
Teething may cause infants to develop a fever, but the increase in temperature is typically mild and does not reach 38.5°C in oral, axillary, or rectal measurements. Some babies may not show any noticeable fever during the teething process at all.
During teething, parents should ensure that the infant gets adequate rest and drinks plenty of fluids, which better supports overall health.
