Teething "fever"

[cjmnksa]

So I've skimmed the web, most of the standard health websites all agree that teething fever is not a thing. And even those that mention that a slight temperature rise say it's only to about 38°C/100F. So science seems to agree.

But anecdotally (son has about ten teeth now), every time he's had a major tooth emergence, it was accompanied by a fever. He's currently now also feverish and we can feel another 2-3 teeth coming out on his gums. His temperature is also spiking to around 38.9°C/102F(which we are using medication to keep under control for now).

I remember also feeling somewhat feverish when my wisdom teeth were coming out.

But he also hasn't been sleeping well the past 3-4 nights, which could have left his immune system weakened and more susceptible to an infection.

I guess I'm just looking for advice, reassurance... Anecdotal experience.. just feel like this is driving me crazy. How many more of his teeth need to come out before this cycle ends?

EDIT: thanks everyone for the replies. I've been really stressed and sleep deprived (and anxious). I'm probably still going to try see a doctor today because I feel his temperature is a bit too high, but it's good to know!

 

[sarahsknight]

@cjmnksa I was told that it’s coincidental that kids often get sick when they’re teething. One pediatrician said it might be a connection between getting sick and them putting their hands in their mouth more, or just chewing on stuff more in general, to try and soothe their gums.

 

[kevintri99]

@cjmnksa My kid was medically fragile and it was Covid when she was teething. She didn’t go ANYWHERE. Neither did we. She popped a fever every time. The “no fever” is bs and I’ve heard it’s because kids teeth for so long docs don’t want parents to ignore actual illness and blame it on teething.

 

[hary89]

@kevintri99 My kids and my sisters kids always get fevers when popping the big teeth

 

[edit]

@kevintri99 Anecdotally, my son always ran a low fever with every tooth too (usually 101 and under). Sometimes he was sick, sometimes he wasn't, but always an elevated temperature. My husband is also prone to random fevers (with stress, allergies, etc.).

 

[coolboy96]

@cjmnksa Anecdotally, I think it is a thing.

 

[dtom]

@cjmnksa My friends son had a 100-101 fever for a week when his first tooth was coming out. Their ped said just keep an eye on it and it just passed on its own once the tooth popped out.

 

[marytodd]

@cjmnksa I know this is an old post but I’m going through this right now. 14 month has barely eaten anything in two days (after 5 days of eating less than normal) top two front teeth are coming in and popped a 102.7f fever last night. We had him at the pediatrician this morning because he lost weight and has trouble gaining so this is really setting him back. She said she would say it’s just from teething “EXCEPT FOR THE 102 fever” is making her think it’s something else. No other symptoms. This post has helped me come back down from going crazy and just wanted to add my anecdote.

 

[dammy005]

@marytodd We’re also going through this right now with our 15mo which is why I’m here! Reached 39.2C and took him to the doctors because I was concerned it was something else, but doctor was pretty convinced it’s teething (first molars!). The ONLY other time he was like this was when he was popping out his first canines (super restless in his sleep, tired, hands in mouth constantly, drooling, not very playful, not eating well, attached to my boob and FEVER). Even when he’s had a bad cold he hasn’t cracked a fever.
Solidarity!

 

[marytodd]

@dammy005 Yeah, this is only the second time he has been "sick" and the first was most likely related to teething too! I just didn't know at the time until his first two bottom teeth popped out a few days later. This time, top two front are coming in and it seems so much worse! I hope it ends soon for both of us. I knew teething sucked, I had no idea it was THIS bad! Thank you!

 

[simply_me1229]

@marytodd Just wondering whether it ended up being something else.

 

[marytodd]

@simply_me1229 Nope it didn’t. The whole ordeal ended up lasting 10 days. Once those teeth cut he started eating again pretty much instantly. He only ever had a fever that one day.

 

[simply_me1229]

@marytodd Ok. I thought my kiddo’s low grade was teeth but she woke up with a cold this am glad it sorted itself out!

 

[katrina2017]

@cjmnksa No medical proof but anecdotally from working with many many kids I think some kids do run fevers with teething. Just an immune response.

 

[bfdd6988]

@cjmnksa My child was teething during the part of the pandemic where our household was under 100% lockdown. The only time she had a fever, she was teething.

There’s absolutely zero chance she caught anything. I’m immunosuppressed and a nurse (wasn’t working at the time) so we were being beyond anal about infection control until the vaccine came out. Other than seasonal allergies, none of us so much had the sniffles or a grumbly tummy for over a year… except for the totally-not-from-teething fever that only happened during teething.

 

[robin459]

@cjmnksa Even if my 19 month old gets hysterical for some length of time she feels extremely hot. I think the stress effects some kids differently

 

[fightingbull542]

@cjmnksa Anecdotally, my daughter gets more sleepy and runs a fever every time she gets a tooth. I know everything says that they’re not correlated, but it’s happened with every tooth (she’s got six now). She also gets really red cheeks when teething, too.

 

[cjmnksa]

@fightingbull542 My son's cheeks are unusually rosy too!

 

[torn12]

@cjmnksa Anecdotally, my son gets a fever every time he's popped a tooth

 

[doubra]

@cjmnksa My LO got a 100+ fever for two days when two molars were coming in at the same time.

I think there hasn’t been extensive research on the topic, so when there are no studies proving “yes”, doctors automatically say “no” instead of “we really don’t know”.