Can a Tooth Infection Cause a Fever?

Can you help me? My dentist is being very particular about who he sees in the office because of the pandemic. He won’t see my daughter because she has a fever, but I think the fever is because of her tooth infection. He is saying that a tooth infection cannot cause a fever and therefore won’t let her come. Is that right? I can’t imagine why it definitely could NOT be from her tooth, which is bothering her.

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

I am sorry you and your daughter are having to deal with this. I am surprised that your dentist is being so dogmatic about saying that a tooth infection cannot cause a fever. While many tooth infections never develop fevers, some do. Any infection can cause a fever.

The only thing I can think of is that he is concerned about the current COVID pandemic and so all he’s thinking about is that being a possibility. You may have to see a different dentist during this pandemic. There are dentists who are seeing patients during this time. They are still taking precautions and are certainly making sure that everything is sanitized and safe. But they are more understanding about what a fever can mean. COVID certainly isn’t the only thing that causes a fever.

I wouldn’t give up on this. And don’t allow a dentist to simply prescribed you an antibiotic and be done with her. If your daughter does have a tooth infection, it won’t go away simply by taking a pill. Instead, the infected tissue has to be physically removed, either by a root canal treatment or a tooth extraction.

If your daughter is young and it is a baby tooth, a pediatric dentist can do a pulpotomy if the tooth needs to be saved, such as a back molar that needs to stay in place until she is about 12 years old. That is the child’s version of a root canal treatment. If it is an adult tooth, the standard treatment would apply.

Tooth infections are considered dental emergencies, so don’t be timid. Find a dentist that will at least x-ray her tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.