Does Teething Cause a Fever? What to Know
Teething can make a baby slightly warmer, but it does not cause a temperature of 38°C or above. If your baby has 38°C or more, look for another cause. A reading of 37.5°C or above still counts as a fever. Blaming a real fever on teething can delay finding the actual cause. Here is what teething does and does not do, where the line sits, and when a fever needs to be treated as a fever.
The short answer
Teething can make a baby slightly warmer, but it does not cause a temperature of 38°C or above. If your baby has 38°C or more, look for another cause. A temperature of 37.5°C or above still counts as a fever, so keep an eye on your baby and recheck.
This matters because babies teethe on and off for many months, and during that time they also catch the usual coughs, colds, and infections. Blaming every warm forehead on teething can delay spotting an illness that needs attention.
What teething does cause
Teething is real and can genuinely make a baby miserable for a few days around each new tooth. The common signs are mild and local to the mouth:
- Drooling more than usual, and chewing or biting on things
- Sore, red, or swollen gums where a tooth is coming through
- Mild irritability or fussiness
- Disturbed sleep for a few nights
- A slightly raised temperature, but not 38°C or above
Teething does not cause a high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, a runny nose, a cough, or a rash. If any of those show up, they belong to something other than the teeth.
Where the line sits
A temperature of 37.5°C or above is a fever. Teething can make a baby slightly warmer, but it does not cause a temperature of 38°C or above. If your baby has 38°C or more, look for another cause and treat it as a fever, with teething ruled out rather than assumed. In a baby under 3 months, 38.0°C or above needs urgent assessment.
If your baby is over 3 months and uncomfortable, or the temperature is 38.5°C or above, you can give paracetamol by weight for comfort. Check the dose against your baby's current weight rather than guessing from age.
→ Check the correct paracetamol dose by weight
Soothing a teething baby
For the discomfort of teething itself, simple comfort measures usually help:
- A clean, cool (not frozen) teething ring or a cold, damp washcloth to chew on.
- Gently rubbing the sore gum with a clean finger.
- Wiping away drool to prevent a rash on the chin.
- Extra cuddles and patience through the unsettled days.
When to see a doctor
Treat a fever in a teething baby the same as any other fever. See your GP or polyclinic if the fever lasts more than 3 days, your baby is not feeding well, or you are unsure what is causing it. A baby under 3 months with a fever of 38.0°C or above needs urgent assessment, and teething should never be the assumed reason at that age.
Call 995 now if your child has a fever and any of these:
- !A seizure lasting more than 5 minutes (give rectal diazepam if a doctor has prescribed it, and still call)
- !Struggling to breathe (skin pulling in under the ribs, nostrils flaring, or grunting), pauses in breathing, or lips turning blue or grey
- !Cannot be woken, or floppy and not responding to you
- !A rash of small red or purple spots that does not fade when you press a glass on it
- !Swelling of the lips, tongue, or face, with any difficulty breathing
- !Cold, clammy, or mottled skin, with drowsiness or restlessness
Go to the nearest 24-hour A&E or children's emergency now if:
- !Refusing feeds, or drinking much less than usual, with fewer wet nappies
- !A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38.0°C or above
- !A first febrile seizure, even if it has stopped
- !After a seizure: confused, still drowsy after 30 minutes, or more than one seizure in a day
- !A stiff neck, or crying in pain when bending the head forward
- !Unusually drowsy or hard to wake, but can be woken
- !Dengue warning signs as the fever comes down: tummy pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding gums or nose, or very tired
- !No urine or wet nappy for 12 hours or more
- !No tears when crying, sunken eyes, or a very dry mouth
- !Cannot keep any fluids down
- !Green vomit
- !A temperature above 40°C that is not coming down, and your child seems unwell
→ Fever in a baby under 3 months: what to do
→ How to take your child's temperature accurately
Frequently asked questions
Does teething cause a fever?+
Teething can make a baby slightly warmer, but it does not cause a temperature of 38°C or above. If your baby has 38°C or more, look for another cause rather than assuming the teeth are to blame. A reading of 37.5°C or above still counts as a fever, so keep watching your baby and recheck.
What temperature counts as a fever rather than teething?+
A temperature of 37.5°C or above is a fever. Teething can make a baby slightly warmer, but it does not cause a temperature of 38°C or above. If your baby has 38°C or more, look for another cause and treat it as a fever. In a baby under 3 months, 38.0°C or above needs urgent assessment.
My teething baby has a fever. What should I do?+
Treat it as a fever, not as teething. For a baby over 3 months who is uncomfortable or whose temperature is 38.5°C or above, you can give paracetamol by weight for comfort. For a baby under 3 months, a temperature of 38.0°C or above needs urgent assessment, and you should not assume teething is the reason.
What symptoms does teething actually cause?+
Teething commonly causes drooling, chewing on things, sore or swollen gums, mild irritability, and disturbed sleep. It does not cause a high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, a runny nose, or a rash. If those appear, look for a separate cause.
Why does it matter whether it is teething or a fever?+
Because blaming a real fever on teething can delay finding what is actually wrong. Babies teethe for months, and during that time they also catch the usual infections. Assuming every temperature is "just teething" risks missing an illness that needs attention.