Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDoes Teething Cause Fever?Teething AgeSymptomsIs the Child Sick?Soothing Sore GumsWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Does Teething Cause Fever?
Teething Age
Symptoms
Is the Child Sick?
Soothing Sore Gums
When to See a Provider
Fever in babiesis often attributed to teething, but there is no evidence that the two are connected. A temperature over 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) likely means your child has an illness, even if they also happen to be teething.
This article will discuss symptoms of teething and how to soothe discomfort, how to tell if your child is sick, ways to manage a fever, and when to see a healthcare provider.
Jill Lehmann Photography / Getty Images
Despite the myth, teething does not causefever. It can be tempting to attribute fever to teething, but doing so may mean missing an illness such as an ear infection, urinary tract infection,meningitis, or another bacterial or viral infection.
Teething also does not cause diarrhea or runny nose, and typically does not cause a lot of crying. When symptoms such as these are blamed on teething, a diagnosis and needed treatment could be delayed.
When Do Babies Start Teething?
When babies are born, they have20 teethbeneath the gums. Some babies are born with one or more teeth already grown in.
It’s not unusual for babies who are 10 to 12 months to not have teeth yet, and it is not a reason to worry.
Teething Symptoms
How to Tell If Your Child Is Sick
A body temperatureof 100.4 degrees F or higher is considered a fever and usually indicates an infection or illness.
The degree of the fever does not always correlate with the seriousness of the illness. Sometimes, minor illnesses can cause high fevers, and serious illnesses may not cause a high fever. It’s more important to pay attention to how your child is feeling and behaving and to look for signs of the underlying illness than focusing on the thermometer number.
In addition to symptoms related to the underlying illness (such as earache for an ear infection), a child with a fever may also have symptoms such as:
Way to Soothe Sore Gums
Donotuse:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicates these can lead to harm, or even death.
Gum Massages
Teething Rings and Toys
To avoid strangulation, never tie a teething ring (or anything else) around your child’s neck. Only use a teething ring when the child is directly supervised.
Choose ones that are made of solid, firm rubber. Avoid ones that have liquid in them because they could leak or break. Don’t boil them to sterilize them, which can damage the plastic and leak chemicals.
Make sure the item is too big to swallow, and can’t break into pieces, to avoid choking hazards.
Be aware of what they are made of, and buy from reputable companies. Even objects that are labeled for teething can contain harmful components,such as lead. This includes “natural” and homeopathic teethers.
Washcloths
Foods
Comforting
Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen
This medication should be used short-term (about a day) and dosed appropriately. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about how much and how often to administer it.
Never give aspirin to children under the age of 16 years.
Fevers don’t always need to be medicated. If your child has a fever but isn’t uncomfortable, or if they can feel better using nonmedicinal measures, you don’t necessarily need to use medication toreduce the fever.
If medication is warranted, talk to your healthcare provider about giving them fever-reducing medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. It can take 90 minutes to two hours for the temperature to come down after giving medication, and the fever may return.
Even if the temperature is still high, don’t give more than the recommended dosage or give it to your child more often than the directions indicate.
For a child with a fever:
Don’t give your child a cold bath or shower, as this can make them too cold and/or cause them to shiver.
Never wipe or bathe your child with alcohol. It is a poison and can be absorbed through the skin.
When to Worry About a Fever in BabiesSee a healthcare provider right awayif your child is younger than 3 months old or is immunocompromised and has a temperature above 100.4 degrees F, even if they have no other symptoms.If your child is older than 3 months old and not immunocompromised, see a healthcare provider if theyhave a feverand any of the following:A stiff neckLight hurts their eyesA rashProblems with breathingVomiting or diarrhea, especially if not drinking muchPain that doesn’t get better with pain reliefFever that lasts more than two days and doesn’t have an obvious causeFebrile seizureFeeling increasingly unwellExcessive crankiness, fussiness, or irritabilityPersistent wheezing or coughingExcessive sleepiness, or is lethargic or unresponsiveHeadache, earache, sore throat, or other signs of illness you are concerned aboutFever that lasts three to days with no improvement
When to Worry About a Fever in Babies
See a healthcare provider right awayif your child is younger than 3 months old or is immunocompromised and has a temperature above 100.4 degrees F, even if they have no other symptoms.If your child is older than 3 months old and not immunocompromised, see a healthcare provider if theyhave a feverand any of the following:A stiff neckLight hurts their eyesA rashProblems with breathingVomiting or diarrhea, especially if not drinking muchPain that doesn’t get better with pain reliefFever that lasts more than two days and doesn’t have an obvious causeFebrile seizureFeeling increasingly unwellExcessive crankiness, fussiness, or irritabilityPersistent wheezing or coughingExcessive sleepiness, or is lethargic or unresponsiveHeadache, earache, sore throat, or other signs of illness you are concerned aboutFever that lasts three to days with no improvement
See a healthcare provider right awayif your child is younger than 3 months old or is immunocompromised and has a temperature above 100.4 degrees F, even if they have no other symptoms.
If your child is older than 3 months old and not immunocompromised, see a healthcare provider if theyhave a feverand any of the following:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Teething doesn’t usually need medical attention. Most of the time, symptoms can be managed at home.
Talk to your healthcare provider if your child has:
Summary
Despite the popular myth, teething does not cause fevers. A temperature of100.4 degrees F or highertypically indicates an illness or infection, not teething. Not all babies have symptoms while teething, but teething symptoms may include irritability, a need to chew, increased drooling, sore gums, and red cheeks.
If your child has a fever, dress them lightly, offer small drinks often, and give fever-reducing medicine if necessary. Contact your healthcare provider if the fever lasts longer than a couple days.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Memarpour M, Soltanimehr E, Eskandarian T.Signs and symptoms associated with primary tooth eruption: A clinical trial of nonpharmacological remedies.BMC Oral Health. 2015;15(1):88. doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0070-2
Government of Ontario.Teething: What can I expect?
Seattle Children’s Hospital.Teething.
Nemours KidsHealth.Teething tots.
Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children.Does teething cause a fever? Find out what’s fact and what’s fiction.
Royal Children’s Hospital.Fever in children.
Government of Manitoba.Caring for a child with a fever.
Food and Drug Administration.Safely soothing teething pain in infants and children.
American Dental Association.Teething.
HealthLink BC.Teething.
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