Why Do Some Babies Develop a Teething Fever?
Babies who are teething commonly develop what is known as a teething fever. Caregivers often ascribe the fever to the process of teething itself, but the medical community has not found any evidence to support this. Doctors believe that the swollen and inflamed gums of a teething baby, as well as a baby’s tendency to put any germ-covered item into his or her mouth, can set the stage for an opportunistic infection. This infection would cause the body to develop a low-grade teething fever as high as 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) that might last for two or three days. If the low-grade fever is accompanied by other symptoms, such as ear pulling or the fever rises to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius), a call to the doctor most likely is in order.
