“Teething causes fevers.”
Several studies that tracked babies day by day, and reviews that pooled them, point the same way. Teething is genuinely associated with gum irritation, drooling, fussiness, and a slight rise in temperature around eruption days. Most studies have not found a link to fever in the medical sense, which usually means 38C (100.4F) or higher. In a large study that tracked 125 infants every day, temperatures over 102F were not more common around teething. One review found a possible link only with rectal readings, and the studies have real limits, which is why the field's agreement is graded as a majority view rather than full consensus. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that teething does not cause fever. Why this matters more than it seems: teething happens on and off for two years, which makes it an easy explanation for almost any symptom. The bigger risk is attribution error. A baby with a real fever who is assumed to be 'just teething' may have an illness that is being explained away by a coincidence of timing. The evidence-based rule is worth keeping. Fussiness, gnawing, and drool with a barely raised temperature fits teething. An actual fever means treat the child as sick, and call your pediatrician if you would have called for that fever anyway, teeth or no teeth.
Sources
- Massignan C, Cardoso M, Porporatti AL, et al. Signs and symptoms of primary tooth eruption: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2016;137(3):e20153501. (Meta-analysis: eruption brings a slight temperature rise, not characterized as fever)
- Macknin ML, Piedmonte M, Jacobs J, Skibinski C. Symptoms associated with infant teething: a prospective study. Pediatrics. 2000;105(4 Pt 1):747-752. (Day-by-day study of 125 infants: mild rise, no link with high fever; warns against blaming illness on teeth)
- Nemezio MA, de Oliveira KMH, Romualdo PC, et al. Association between fever and primary tooth eruption: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. 2017;10(3):293-298. (Meta-analysis: no overall link with fever; a possible link with rectal readings)
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Teething Pain. HealthyChildren.org. Updated July 2025. (The AAP's parent guidance: teething does not cause fever)
- Markman L. Teething: facts and fiction. Pediatrics in Review. 2009;30(8):e59-e64. (Clinical review of teething beliefs)
How claims get graded
Every claim is graded on two independent axes. Evidence strength asks: how good is the research behind the claim as parents actually state it? Randomized trials and meta-analyses outrank single observational studies, which outrank expert opinion. Consensus asks a different question: where does the field actually sit? A claim can rest on limited evidence while researchers still broadly agree, and both facts belong on the label.
Every empirical statement in a summary is tied to the sources listed on its page, and an automated check enforces the honesty rules: claims below strong evidence cannot use proof-language, and claims with limited or insufficient evidence must say so in plain words. The check runs on every update to this site; a summary that overclaims cannot ship.
The grades are educational summaries of published research, not medical advice, and they can change; each page shows when it was last reviewed.
This page summarizes published research for educational purposes. It is not medical advice, and it is not a recommendation for or against any practice for your specific child; those calls belong with you and your child's clinician.