How long to leave a thermometer in mouth

When you are under the weather, you may check whether your symptoms include a rise in your temperature, by using a thermometer. This little thing can let you know how hot or cold your body is. But do you know how long to keep a thermometer in your mouth for an accurate reading? You will need to wait just the right amount of time, which is the secret of the best outcome.

How long do you keep a thermometer in your mouth?

When you insert a thermometer into your mouth, you must leave it in place until it beeps or until a certain amount of time elapses. That’s because the thermometer needs time to accurately measure the temperature inside your mouth. You may inadvertently grab the thermometer a little too early, or too late — and the reading will be off.

Why it matters when you forget to leave a thermometer in your mouth for the appropriate time.

You need to leave the thermometer in your mouth for the proper amount of time because the readout time is the amount of time it takes for the temperature to settle down to a stable value. That is to say, you do need to give the thermometer long enough to register an accurate temperature for your mouth. If you remove too soon, the reading might be lower than your true temperature. It’s long enough to get a low reading to stick and accurately reflect your temperature, but if you let it dry for too long, you might get a reading higher than it should be.

The ideal length of time for an accurate temperature reading.

Various types of thermometers may recommend different times in which to take temperature measurements. But as a rule of thumb, let a digital thermometer sit in your mouth for around 3 minutes. This will provide the digital thermometer sufficient time to accurately measure you temperature. Make sure to keep your mouth shut, as speaking or breathing through your mouth may interfere with your temperature reading.

Why it’s important to wait the right amount of time with a thermometer in your mouth.

That’s how long you should wait with a thermometer in your mouth, and it’s important to your health: You need to hold it there so that you’ll get an accurate reading of your temperature. This information is useful in checking whether you have a fever and if you need to visit a doctor. By doing the suggested time frame, you can be sure that the thermometer is telling you what is wrong with your health.

Why when you stick a thermometer in your mouth for too short or too long can affect results.

If you remove the thermometer too soon, the reading may be lower than your actual temperature. That being the case, it is possible to assume you do not have a fever when in fact you do. On the flip side, if you keep the thermometer in your mouth too long, the result may be inflated. This might cause you to worry unnecessarily or, worse, to take medicine you don’t need.