"Well, she has a runny nose,  and she has been fussy for 3-4 days, and we thought it was teething.  Now she has fever to 102.8, and she is more unconsolable and she can't sleep.  What do you think, doc?"

Teething can be an uncomfortable part of growing up that may affect babies off and on throughout the first two years of life.  Teething is unlikely, however, to be the explanation for more severe or serious symptoms.  A new study published in Pediatrics demonstrates this nicely -- the researchers followed a group of children and monitored them for symptoms in the days before, during, and after tooth eruption.  It turns out that fussiness, drooling, decreased appetite, loose stools, and sleep disturbance are common with teething, just like Grandma says.  Fever or more severe symptoms should not be attributed to teething, though -- such symptoms should prompt a search for some other cause.  The bottom line:  for fever of 100.0F or higher, some other illness should be suspected.