^
A
A
A

High temperature when teething children: do I need to shoot down?

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 18.10.2021
 
Fact-checked
х

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

The temperature at the eruption of teeth in children can be both an accompanying condition, and the main symptom of this process. It is very important that young parents understand when to be worried, and the child is sick, and when such a small hyperthermia is a simple sign of teething. It is also important to know how and how you can help your child in this case.

Teething in children

Teeth actually begin to develop, while your child is in utero. The joy of each parent is to see how their children develop healthy white teeth that he or she can see when the child is smiling. Most babies have their first teeth   at the age of four to seven months. Some children delay the development of their teeth until 15-18 months (if by that time there are no teeth, plan a visit to a pediatric dentist), as a rule, depending on the pace of the child's development.

Teeth erupt for several months, and they often appear in this order: first the lower two middle teeth, then the two upper middle, then the sides and back. Teeth can be cut one at a time, or several at a time. The last teeth will appear (second root) usually to the second year of your child's life or a few months after that. At the age of 3 years your child should have a complete set of 20 children's teeth. And all this period of eruption in each child can have individual characteristics. Some children go through teething without symptoms, but many parents report that their children experience discomfort. Teething occurs about eight days, which includes about five days before the appearance of the denticle and about three days after this process.

If your normal obedient child suddenly becomes more irritable, his saliva dries excessively and appetite decreases, then teething is likely to be the main etiological factor of this. Teething can also cause a low fever.

Why does the child's teething appear?

The causes of such minor hyperthermia may not depend directly on the very process of the appearance of the teeth. When the babies are about six months old, the level of antibodies transmitted from their mother starts to fall, which changes their immune system. Along with the tendency to keep different things in your mouth, this makes them more prone to illness. Symptoms of common childhood illnesses, such as changes in sleep and eating patterns, fussiness, rash, salivation, runny nose and diarrhea, are often mistakenly associated with teething. If your child has these symptoms, make sure that he does not suffer from other possible causes, such as bacterial, viral infections or middle ear infections. Risk factors for the development of infections at this time is just the process of dentition. After all, at this time your baby experiences a strong itch in his mouth, which he tries to solve with different toys. This is a factor in the development of various infections that the child receives with these toys.

The pathogenesis of the appearance of fever in a nursing infant up to a year with eruption may consist in the fact that such a condition in a baby can be caused by a decrease in the reactivity of the organism. After all, when the teeth begin to erupt, it is always perceived by the body as a stressful situation. This process is allocated a lot of biologically active substances and vitamins, which can cause a little activation of the center of thermoregulation. But such a temperature during the eruption of canines, molars, molars, upper teeth should not exceed the subfebrile digits, no matter which tooth is erupted. This must be borne in mind by the parents. How much does the temperature keep on the teeth? Most moms face this no more than one week - this is the time that is enough for the eruption of the tooth. And all this time such insignificant hyperthermia should not exceed subfebrile values.

But the temperature at the eruption of molars at 6 years should not increase, in fact completely adult child with the formed immune system. Therefore, if there is a febrile condition at this age, then it is necessary to exclude gum disease, stomatitis and related problems.

Symptoms

Symptoms that occur in children at this age under such conditions are not limited to simple hyperthermia. Diarrhea and fever in a baby with eruption often happens, as one of the conditions. Diarrhea is a condition commonly found in growing children. The reason for this is that infants usually crawl around and take unwanted microbes that upset the stomach. The process, when the first teeth appear, begins with capriciousness, and diarrhea usually appears after. This makes the parents believe that these two cases are directly related to each other.

What can be the cause of diarrhea? There is a misconception that excessive saliva, caused by the appearance of teeth, somehow affects the gastrointestinal system. However, medical studies have not found such a reason between teething and diarrhea. So why do so many people think there is a connection? Perhaps because children tend to collect bacteria that can cause diarrhea. After all, at such a time, kids try everything to taste, in order to try to ease the discomfort, and many of these things are not very clean. In addition, in children from 6 to 24 months, most of them experience any number of different, completely unrelated, ailments.

When parents feel that their diarrhea is caused by teething, they can be less worried than when the cause is unknown. Their lack of diligence can mean the absence of a diagnosis of a problem with the gastrointestinal tract in children.

How to determine the temperature on the teeth? Differential diagnosis of fever on teeth and fevers against the background of infectious diseases in a child should be based on the nature of the temperature increase. If the hyperthermia exceeds the level of 38 degrees, then most likely the child is ill. You should also pay attention to some symptoms of the disease and here are some common symptoms:

  1. the child has a runny nose or feels bad.
  2. the child coughs and sneezes uncontrollably.
  3. the child has vomiting or diarrhea.

If you see any of these symptoms or are not sure that your child is completely healthy, do not hesitate to seek help from a pediatrician.

Treatment of pathologies with teething in children

There are a few simple steps that you can take to ease teething and soothe the gums. One of these methods is chewing. Chewing creates a back pressure that facilitates swelling of the gums. You can help the baby by giving him chewing, soft objects, such as rubber penetrating rings and rattles. Your child will prefer cold items, since they relieve swelling. Therefore, keep items in the refrigerator for a while (make sure that the chewing toys are not very cold).

Do not rub tablets or gels into the swollen mucous membranes of a child. Their help is short-lived. Moreover, some of them contain ingredients that are harmful to children's health. Some of the harmful ingredients include benzocaine (helps with numbness of the gums) and belladonna, both of which can reduce the amount of oxygen that enters the bloodstream. Studies also suggest that penetrating gels can not facilitate teething, but rather that the action of the massage is that it provides relief.

If your child is old enough for solids, he can get some relief from eating cold foods such as apple yogurt or chewing a raw apple.

When there is a mild diarrhea in a child up to five to seven times a day with teething, you need to think about treatment. As a rule, no treatment is required for mild diarrhea. Stop giving milk and dairy products if the child used them, with the exception of breast milk. Give clean fluids, such as herbal teas or drinks specially prepared for the treatment of pediatric diarrhea, for 12 hours to 48 hours, depending on the severity of the diarrhea. When you re-enter food, offer simple, easy to digest, such as bananas, rice flakes, apples or dry toast. Keep the baby hydrated to help him fight the fever. If the baby does not want to eat, then you should not force him, you can leave only breast milk.

Is it necessary to bring down the temperature of a child with teething? This level of temperature reaction is not so dangerous for the baby. But you can use the funds to alleviate the condition of the child, because all the medicines for lowering the temperature still additionally and anesthetize. To treat fever and discomfort associated with teething, give your child paracetamol in accordance with the packing instructions. You can also use ibuprofen only if your child is older than 6 months. You must ensure the correct dosage of pain medications, as prescribed by the pediatrician. A lower dose can not help the baby, while a higher dose can have an adverse effect on the baby's body. A warm bath can also help alleviate the symptoms of fever and pain.

What not to do if the child has a fever?

Do not remove all baby clothes or set too low a room temperature. Do not use alcohol or vinegar as a grinder. The use of these substances even on the skin has a serious impact on the health of the child.

The consequences of hyperthermia can develop if the parents allow the temperature to rise to high values. This is not due to teething, but with a serious infection. Complications can occur in the form of febrile seizures, encephalitic reactions. This proves the need for early differential diagnosis.

Preventing problems with teething is a very difficult task, because each child in its own way outgrows this period. The prognosis for other children is difficult to make, so if your first child had problems with his teeth, then there is no likelihood that it will be the same with the other.

The period of teething is a critical stage, both for the child and for the mother, and here the most important is dental care. Knowing what to do during this period of child development, you can avoid worrying and make this period less stressful for your child. Therefore, any symptoms can be both normal and pathological and the main task of the mother is to correctly identify these cases.

Translation Disclaimer: For the convenience of users of the iLive portal this article has been translated into the current language, but has not yet been verified by a native speaker who has the necessary qualifications for this. In this regard, we warn you that the translation of this article may be incorrect, may contain lexical, syntactic and grammatical errors.

You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.