According to the National Institute of Dental Health, fever is not a symptom of tooth decay, contrary to popular belief.Seattle Children’s Hospital. According to StudyPublished in BMC Oral Health, the study found no link between teething, fever, or diarrhea. While it’s normal for children’s temperatures to rise slightly when they’re working on new teeth, it could also indicate something is wrong. WebMD).
It is not surprising that infants may become more sickly and have more fevers around this time. First, babies are more likely to get sick if the antibodies they received from their mother at birth wear off between 6-12 months. It’s developmentalally appropriate for babies at this age to start to put all of their food in their mouths, which exposes them to new germs (via Seattle Children’s Hospital).
The signs of sickness and teething can be similar, though — irritability, trouble eating, and sleep disruption to name a few. A fever can be an indicator of a more serious infection.