My child’s dentist told me that a tooth problem could not cause a fever. I’m not trying to be difficult but I thought they could. Plus, other than the fever, the only other symptom she has is not wanting to chew on that side of her mouth. She said it feels funny. Am I misunderstanding something? I thought any infection could cause a fever.
Dee Dee
Dear Dee Dee,
I am going to go on the assumption that there is a miscommunication here with your dentist. Otherwise, you may need to find a new dentist for your children. Maybe what they meant to say is that most tooth infections do not cause a fever. This is because in many cases the infection is contained within the tooth itself.
You didn’t mention your child’s age. If it feels weird, it could be a developing infection or possibly some teething going on. I know many dentists swear teething will not cause a fever, but many parents would disagree based on experience.
If your gut is telling you something is wrong, then you should schedule an appointment. It is better to be safe. There are many times that a tooth infection can actually cause someone to feel run-down. After they have the tooth dealt with their overall general health feels better.
One thing I would like to address is your feeling like you were being difficult for wanting to understand something. Never let any medical practitioner intimidate you into staying quiet. You are responsible for your child’s well-being. Any dentist or doctor you see should be willing to explain something as many times as necessary for you to understand it, especially when you’ve heard contradictory information.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.
Learn about the benefits of family dentistry.