Why does the temperature rise when fangs erupt?

What causes fever to rise during teething?

Contrary to the popular belief of parents, an increase in temperature on the teeth is not the norm and does not always accompany teething. In this way, the baby’s fragile body responds to the occurrence of an inflammatory reaction in the gum, through which the first tooth makes its way. In this place, immune defense is reduced, microorganisms living on the mucous membranes are activated - this also provokes temperature surges.

This process is most difficult after a year, when fangs or molars are being cut, since the chewing teeth have several tubercles that cannot appear simultaneously and the process sometimes drags on for up to several weeks. The “eye” teeth are located slightly deeper than the others and must travel a longer path to the gum surface. Therefore, children usually experience quite severe discomfort and prolonged rises in temperature when they appear.

Sometimes fever during this period of life is a sign of an acute infection, which is due to reduced immunity. In this case, the body tries to protect itself from the invasion of viruses or bacteria and increases the temperature, which is destructive for pathogens.

What reaction is possible for a baby when teething?

What reaction can a child have when baby teeth appear? During this period, children may react in different ways:

1. Some children tolerate this period quite normally. The only symptom that worries them is itching in the gums, increased salivation and a slight increase in body temperature.
2. Other babies react very hard to teething: the temperature may rise to 38-39 degrees, they do not sleep at night, and refuse to eat.
3. There are also little ones who are luckier than others: their teeth appear without any problems and almost imperceptibly.

What is the maximum temperature possible during this period?

How much the temperature rises when a baby’s teeth appear depends only on his individual characteristics. On average, this figure is 37.5-37.7 degrees. Sometimes this figure can reach 38 - this is also an acceptable value. It is important to take regular measurements, since infants do not regulate heat exchange well and as inflammation progresses, the temperature can increase very quickly.

A higher temperature (39-40 degrees) may indicate complications, the development of a respiratory tract infection and requires immediate medical attention.

What temperature is considered normal?

What parameters should you pay attention to? If the birth of the chewing organs is accompanied by a temperature that does not rise above 37.7 degrees, take it calmly. The temperature during the eruption of molars may be lower. It all depends on the complexity of this process. Minor deviations indicate that the units are being cut normally. Although the baby has become more restless, in such a situation this is natural behavior.

Give your body the opportunity to cope with problems on its own. If you intervene in this condition for no reason, the baby’s immunity will not be strengthened. Do not attempt to use medications. They are used when the temperature is high and lasts a long time. To improve your well-being, the following measures are taken:

1. A comfortable and calm environment is created.
2. Regular ventilation of the room is ensured.
3. Providing adequate sleep and rest.
4. A balanced diet and drinking regime are being established.
5. Ensure heat exchange by removing clothing that restricts movement.

It is not recommended to introduce new dishes into the diet during this period. If a child has a malocclusion, he needs to be seen by a dentist. There is no point in delaying this. The sooner you notice the problem, the faster the treatment will take place and the more effective the result will be.

How many days does it last

In answering this question, it should again be recalled that all children are different and react differently to the appearance of teeth. On average, fever in babies can last 1-3 days and usually disappears immediately after teething.

But in the experience of many pediatricians, there are children whose high body temperature associated with the appearance of their first teeth lasted up to 4-5 days. Or there are cases when the fever lasts only a few hours and goes away without any intervention. In any case, you should not delay consulting a doctor, since if you have any diseases, identifying them earlier has a more favorable outcome.

Other symptoms accompanying fever

During teething, there may be other symptoms in addition to fever. Swelling of the gums can spread from the oral cavity to the nasal mucosa, thereby causing a slight runny nose and the discharge of a slight transparent mucous secretion. This symptom is more pronounced when the upper teeth erupt.

The appearance of baby teeth is often accompanied by excessive salivation, especially when the lower teeth erupt. This also causes a slight loosening of the stool - the stool becomes a little softer than usual.

What symptoms can accompany high temperature?

During the period of teething, in addition to elevated temperature, the child may exhibit other symptoms. Often at this time, swelling of the gums occurs, which can reach the mucous membrane of the nose. This phenomenon is accompanied by a runny nose and copious discharge of clear fluid from the nose. Swelling most often occurs when the baby's upper teeth erupt.

If the elevated body temperature persists for five days, then you should immediately call a doctor.

You should also know that during teething, babies produce copious amounts of saliva. It is especially pronounced when the lower teeth erupt.

What should parents be wary of?

A child's body, weakened by teething, is very susceptible to bacterial or viral infection. Therefore, the baby’s symptoms may indicate complications:

• Severe nasal congestion , accompanied by copious discharge of purulent secretion. This suggests that on top of the usual swelling of the mucous membrane there is rhinitis, which must be treated.
• Loose stools . Fever and diarrhea together rarely accompany the appearance of teeth. This symptom may indicate the presence of some kind of intestinal infection, which the child could have introduced into the body with toys or gum teethers.
• Cough . With excessive salivation, children do not always have time to swallow saliva in time and sometimes choke on it, which causes periodic coughing. If the cough is systematic, accompanied by difficulty breathing or sputum discharge, then this speaks in favor of inflammation of the respiratory tract.
• Red throat . The inflammatory reaction that occurs in the gums during teething cannot spread to the mucous membranes of the throat. Redness of the palatine arches or pharynx is a sign of pharyngitis or acute respiratory infections.
• Vomiting often accompanies high body temperature in young children. But it may be a sign of damage to the nervous system or intestinal infection.

The presence of such signs requires urgent medical attention and appropriate treatment, regardless of what temperature (high or low) accompanies them.

Warning symptoms

During the period of teething, the child’s body is weakened and therefore more susceptible to viral or bacterial diseases. At this time, you need to monitor your baby with maximum attention. You should seek help from a doctor if you have the following symptoms:

1. The baby's nose is very stuffy and a purulent substance is released from it. Such signs indicate the likelihood of rhinitis, which can only be cured with medication.
2. The appearance of diarrhea does not mean that it is directly related to teething. Most likely, an infection entered the child's stomach through toys or a gum teether. The baby should be shown to a doctor.
3. During teething, the baby's mouth produces copious amounts of saliva. The child does not always have time to swallow it, and this causes him to cough, or rather, cough. If the cough becomes prolonged, this means that the baby’s respiratory system has become infected. You can’t do this without the help of a doctor.
4. It should also be taken into account that teething cannot cause redness in the throat. If this happens, it means that the child has pharyngitis or a general respiratory disease.
5. Vomiting at elevated body temperature during teething is an alarming signal. This happens when the nervous system is damaged or due to an intestinal infection. Calling a doctor in such a situation is mandatory.

All of the above symptoms are alarming, even if they appear without elevated body temperature.

Temperature during loss of primary teeth and eruption of permanent teeth

The replacement of baby teeth with molars is usually not accompanied by any temperature reactions. An exception may be chewing teeth, which have a large surface and cause significant inflammatory reactions in the gums.

In addition, an increase in temperature during teething in a fairly old child (6 years of age or more) may indicate the presence of gingivitis - a disease of the gingival mucosa, which can lead to serious consequences without treatment.

What to do when the temperature rises

Often parents, even with a slight fever, begin to actively treat the child with antiviral, antipyretic and antibacterial drugs. Even if this symptom is due to the appearance of the first teeth. Most pediatricians (including Dr. Komarovsky) are against such radical methods. Why shouldn't you do this?

A temperature of 37 degrees and above is a kind of protective reaction of the body and helps it more actively produce antibodies against viruses and bacteria. Low body temperature does not allow you to effectively fight infection. Therefore, sometimes it is worth not interfering with natural processes and immediately suppressing even minor signs of fever.

But you shouldn’t fall into inaction either. If the fever reaches significant numbers (38 degrees or higher) and is accompanied by a change in the general condition of the child, then prescribing antipyretic drugs for high fever is a primary measure.

If the rise in temperature is not controlled by conventional medications, then it is possible to scrub the child with cool water or an vinegar-alcohol mixture.

If the fever does not subside within 3 days, then you must definitely visit your treating pediatrician to decide on further examination and the possibility of prescribing antibiotics or other medications.

Some parents prefer homeopathy in such cases. Such drugs do not effectively reduce the temperature, but they can alleviate the baby’s general condition and speed up the recovery process. A prerequisite before taking homeopathic medicines is to consult a specialist.

How long does the temperature last

When a new tooth, and especially a canine tooth, is emerging, hyperthermia is common. But here we are talking only about averages. If a child develops a real fever, it is imperative to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

The temperature of 37ºC, which most often accompanies the appearance of fangs in babies, can be left undisturbed. In this way, the body fights the inflammatory process, which guarantees rapid healing of the wound around the tooth. But given that no medications will be used, hyperthermia may drag on.

As for how long the temperature lasts during teething, the duration may be different for each child. It all depends on how strong the baby’s immune system is, whether there are concomitant illnesses and how many teeth have erupted. There are also cases when the temperature can remain at 37ºC for up to a week. This happens when several teeth are cut at once. Nevertheless, such phenomena are quite rare. Generally, hyperthermia during the appearance of teeth, including fangs, lasts no more than 3 days.

Is it possible to walk with a child with a fever?

If the baby’s general condition does not suffer much during teething, and the temperature is not high and is well controlled by antipyretic drugs, then a walk may even be beneficial. The main thing is to dress your child according to the weather, try to stay away from other children (since you can easily catch an infection) and not tire your baby with active outdoor games.

If the fever reaches high levels and the child does not tolerate it well, then it is better to refuse a walk until the condition improves.

In any case, even if parents are sure that the increase in temperature is caused by teething, medical consultation is necessary. You should not self-medicate, since incorrect measures will not only not alleviate the baby’s condition, but can also harm his health.

Will walking during teething be harmful?

If during the period of teething the child’s body temperature does not exceed 37 degrees, and the baby himself does not suffer much from this, then walks will benefit him. In such a situation, the baby should be dressed for the weather and walked with him away from people to avoid possible infection. You should not get involved in active games at this time.

If the baby’s body temperature has risen above 37 degrees, and he himself does not feel well, then it is better to refrain from walking until he recovers.

In conclusion, let us remind you that self-treatment of children is always fraught with bad consequences. Do not hesitate to contact your doctor again.