Your baby's tooth buds form while he is in the womb, but his first teeth probably won't start emerging until he is about 4 to 7 months old. You can expect his bottom two middle teeth to emerge first, and the process can be uncomfortable for him. Although there are a few symptoms you can expect while he is teething, anything more than a slight rise in temperature is not one of them.
Teething and Temperatures
Likely symptoms of teething include drooling, gum sensitivity, fussiness and sleeping problems. Although inflammation might cause a low fever, the BabyCenter website states that experts disagree whether a fever is actually caused by teething or if fevers during times of teething are coincidental. While your infant may have a slight rise in temperature during teething, a temperature higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit might be due to something else that needs attention.
Other Fever Causes
If your infant has a high temperature, it might be caused by an infection. She can also experience a fever after receiving routine vaccinations. Sometimes a fever can occur simply because your infant is overdressed and too warm. If any of these potential situations take place while your infant is teething, it might be difficult to pinpoint the cause of the fever. If your infant has a fever and you are not sure of the cause, take her to see her doctor.
Recommendations
To help relieve the pain and discomfort that your infant experiences while teething, offer him a teething ring to gnaw on while supervised. You could also try rubbing your clean fingers on his gums. Talk to his doctor before offering any medications or teething numbing creams.
Warning
Although your infant's body temperature may vary throughout the day, BabyCenter recommends that you contact your baby's pediatrician if she has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit if she is younger than 3 months old, or 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher if she is 3 months or older. A fever that high might indicate a viral or bacterial infection that needs to be treated.
