Teething causes high fever
Teething may cause a slight elevation in body temperature but does not cause a true fever of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. Any fever reaching this threshold in an infant is a sign of illness requiring medical attention, not a normal teething symptom.
What we know
Teething refers to the eruption of primary teeth through the gum tissue, a process that occurs from approximately four to seven months of age through toddlerhood. While teething is associated with localized gum inflammation, it is a normal developmental process confined to the oral cavity.
A prospective study published in Pediatrics defined the teething period as the eight-day window around tooth emergence and identified specific associated symptoms: biting, drooling, gum-rubbing, sucking, irritability, and mild temperature elevation. Critically, fever above 38 degrees Celsius was not significantly associated with teething. A 2016 meta-analysis published in Pediatrics reviewing multiple studies reached the same conclusion.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Cleveland Clinic both confirm that teething does not cause a true fever. The appearance of fever coinciding with teething is most likely a coincidence, because the teething period (four to seven months) coincides with the decline of maternal antibodies and an increased susceptibility to infections. Parents may misattribute a virus-induced fever to teething, delaying appropriate care.
This misattribution carries real risk. Pediatric studies have documented cases in which parents delayed seeking medical attention for febrile illnesses because they attributed high fever to teething. A temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above in an infant should always prompt evaluation for infection.
Common claims
- Teething causes fever above 38CFalse - not supported by studies
- Teething can cause a slight temperature riseTrue but below fever threshold
- Teething causes diarrhea and rashNot significantly linked in evidence
- A feverish teething baby just needs teething gelDangerous misconception
Evidence hierarchy
All sources
- Symptoms associated with infant teething: a prospective studyPediatrics (PubMed) · 2000
- Teething Doesn't Cause Fevers and Other MythsCleveland Clinic · 2026
- Mothers' false beliefs and myths associated with teethingQatar Medical Journal (PMC) · 2020
- Does Teething Cause Fever? Signs and SymptomsArnold Palmer Hospital · 2016
- No, your baby's fever was not caused by teethingCNN Health · 2016