The dental patient’s temperature should be taken when systemic illness or systemic response secondary to dental infection (eg, bacteremia) is suspected. The normal oral (sublingual) temperature is 37˚C (98.6˚F), but oral temperatures < 37.8˚C (100˚F) are not usually considered to be significant. Studies of sublingual, axillary, auditory canal, and rectal temperatures in elderly patients indicate that these traditionally accepted values differ somewhat from statistically determined values.
32–34
32–34
Recent drinking of hot or cold liquids or mouth breathing in very warm or cold air may alter the oral temperature. Also, severe oral infection may alter the local temperature in the mouth without causing fever. When it is important to determine the patient’s general temperature, it is necessary to determine the temperature with other means. Digital thermometers used in the auditory canal are popular and accurate.
