Dear Dr. Hall,
I was told by my children’s dentist that an infection in the mouth in general (gums, teeth, etc.) can’t cause a fever. Correct me if I’m wrong but I always thought it could cause a fever. Can you please let me know if it could or couldn’t cause a fever & why? They didn’t seem to want to take the time to explain.
Thank You so much for your time & your blog!
Sincerely, Roseann from New Hampshire
Dear Roseann,
There must be some miscommunication. Yes, an infection in the mouth can cause a fever. An infection anywhere in the body will bring in your body defenses, and have the potential to cause a fever.
Maybe what they were trying to say is that most dental infections don’t cause any significant fever. Most of the time it doesn’t. Often, an infection is confined just within a tooth, and often the body contains the infection, keeping it so well controlled that there is no noticeable infection. So fevers aren’t usually present when there is a tooth or gum infection. But that isn’t always the case.
Actually, sometimes a tooth infection can cause a run-down feeling, also. I saw that in several patients. And a child can sometimes run a fever because of cutting teeth.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
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