High temperature when teething in children: is it necessary to bring down?

Temperature during teething in children can be both an accompanying condition and the main symptom of this process. It is very important for young parents to understand when they should worry and the child is sick, and when such a slight hyperthermia is a simple sign of teething. It is also important to know how and what you can do to help the child in such a case.

Teething in children

Teeth actually begin developing while your baby is in the womb. Every parent’s joy is seeing their baby develop healthy, white teeth that he or she can see when the baby smiles. Most babies get their first teeth between four and seven months of age. Some babies delay their tooth development until 15 to 18 months (if there are no teeth by then, schedule a visit to the pediatric dentist), usually depending on the baby’s developmental pace.

Teeth come in over a period of several months, and they often appear in this order: the bottom two middle teeth first, then the top two middle teeth, then the sides, and back again. Teeth may come in one at a time, or several at once. The last teeth to come in (the second molar) are usually around your child’s second birthday or a few months after that. By age 3, your child should have a full set of 20 baby teeth. And this entire teething period can vary from child to child. Some children go through teething without any signs, but many parents report that their children experience discomfort. Teething takes about eight days, which includes about five days before the tooth emerges and about three days after the process.

If your normally docile baby suddenly becomes more irritable, drools excessively, and has a decreased appetite, teething is likely the main causative factor. Teething can also cause a low-grade fever.

Why does a child develop a fever when teething?

The causes of this mild fever may not be directly related to the teething process itself. When babies are around six months old, the levels of antibodies passed on from their mothers begin to drop, which changes their immune system. Along with the tendency to put things in their mouths, this makes them more prone to illness. Symptoms of common childhood illnesses, such as changes in sleeping and eating patterns, fussiness, rashes, drooling, runny nose, and diarrhea, are often mistakenly attributed to teething. If your baby has these symptoms, make sure that they are not suffering from other possible causes, such as bacterial, viral, or middle ear infections. Risk factors for developing infections at this time include the teething process itself. After all, at this time your baby experiences intense itching in the mouth, which he tries to relieve with various toys. This is a factor in the development of various infections that the child gets from these toys.

The pathogenesis of the appearance of an elevated temperature in a baby under one year old during teething may consist in the fact that such a condition in a baby can be caused by a decrease in the body's reactivity. After all, when teeth begin to erupt, the body always perceives this as a stressful situation. Many biologically active substances and vitamins are released for this process, which can slightly cause activation of the thermoregulation center. But such a temperature during the eruption of canines, molars, molars, upper teeth should not exceed subfebrile numbers, regardless of which tooth is erupting. Parents must take this into account. How long does the temperature last for teething? More often, mothers encounter this for no more than one week - this is the time that is enough for a tooth to erupt. And all this time, such insignificant hyperthermia should not exceed subfebrile values.

But the temperature during the eruption of molars at 6 years old should not rise, because the child is completely grown up with a formed immune system. Therefore, if there is a feverish condition at this age, then it is necessary to exclude gum pathologies, stomatitis and related problems.

Symptoms

The symptoms that children of this age experience with these conditions are not limited to simple hyperthermia. Diarrhea and fever in a baby during teething are often seen as one of the conditions. Diarrhea is a condition that is commonly seen in growing children. The reason for this is that babies usually crawl around and ingest unwanted germs that upset the stomach. The process when the first teeth appear begins with capriciousness, and diarrhea usually appears after. This makes parents believe that these two cases are directly related to each other.

What could be causing diarrhea? There is a misconception that excess saliva caused by teething has some effect on the gastrointestinal system. However, medical research has found no such connection between teething and diarrhea. So why do so many people believe there is a connection? Perhaps because babies tend to pick up bacteria that can cause diarrhea. After all, babies are trying to “taste” everything to try to relieve discomfort, and many of these things are not very clean. Also, in children between 6 and 24 months, most experience any number of different, completely unrelated, ailments.

When parents believe their child's diarrhea is caused by teething, they may be less concerned than when the cause is unknown. Their lack of diligence may mean that they are missing a diagnosis of a gastrointestinal problem in their child.

How to determine the temperature on teeth? Differential diagnostics of fever on teeth and fever against the background of infectious diseases in a child should be carried out on the basis of the nature of the temperature increase. If hyperthermia exceeds the level of 38 degrees, then most likely the child is sick. It is also necessary to pay attention to some symptoms of the disease and here are some common signs:

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

If you see any of these symptoms or are unsure whether your child is completely healthy, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician for help.

Treatment of pathologies during teething in children

There are some simple things you can do to ease teething and soothe the gums. One of them is chewing. Chewing creates counter pressure, which helps ease swelling of the gums. You can help your baby by giving him chewable, soft objects, such as rubber teething rings and rattles. Your baby will prefer cold objects, as they reduce swelling. So keep the objects in the refrigerator for a while (make sure the chew toys are not too cold).

Don't rub teething tablets or gels onto your baby's swollen mucous membrane. Their relief is short-lived. What's more, some of them contain ingredients that are harmful to babies' health. Some of the harmful ingredients include benzocaine (helps with numb gums) and belladonna, both of which can reduce the amount of oxygen that gets into the bloodstream. Research also suggests that teething gels may not relieve teething, but rather that the massaging action is what provides relief.

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

When a baby has mild diarrhea five to seven times a day during teething, treatment should be considered. Generally, no treatment is needed for mild diarrhea. Stop giving milk and dairy products if the baby has been drinking them, except breast milk. Give clear liquids, such as herbal teas or drinks specially prepared for treating infant diarrhea, for 12 hours to 48 hours, depending on the severity of the diarrhea. When you reintroduce foods, offer simple ones that are easy to digest, such as bananas, rice cereal, apples, or dry toast. Keep your baby hydrated to help fight fever. If the baby is reluctant to eat, you should not force him to eat; you can give him breast milk only.

Should I bring down my baby’s fever during teething? This level of fever reaction is not that dangerous for a baby. But you can use remedies to ease the baby’s condition, because all medicines for reducing fever also provide pain relief. To treat fever and discomfort associated with teething, give your baby paracetamol as per the package instructions. You can also use ibuprofen only if your baby is over 6 months old. You should ensure the correct dosage of painkillers as prescribed by the pediatrician. A lower dose may not help the baby, while a higher dose may have an adverse effect on the baby’s body. A warm bath can also help relieve the symptoms of fever and pain.

What not to do if your child has a fever?

Do not remove all of the baby's clothing or set the room temperature too low. Do not use alcohol or vinegar as a rub. Using these substances even on the skin has serious effects on the baby's health.

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

Preventing teething problems is a very difficult task, as each child grows out of this period differently. It is difficult to make a prognosis for other children, so if your first child had problems with teeth, there is no chance that the same will happen with another.

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