How To Take Your Temperature By Mouth
- February 3, 2008
- 2,915 Views
from
sebiel
(and 6 others) Subscribe
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Director
Seb Rhee
- Actor Aaron Coury
- Music Jim Mickshe
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Written by
Howcast
-
Peter Coleman
Peter Coleman
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Writer
Howcast Studios
Oral thermometers have come a long way since the days of a glass wand filled with toxic mercury. If you have this old version—recognizable by a silver streak—it’s time to upgrade.
You Will Need
- A digital oral thermometer
- Soap
- Water
- Cotton balls
- Rubbing alcohol
Never take an infant’s temperature by mouth.
Step 1: Check that you can breathe through nose
Check to confirm that you can breathe through your nose. If not, you cannot get an accurate oral reading.
Step 2: Turn thermometer on
Turn the thermometer on according to your thermometer’s instructions.
Step 3: Slip tip under tongue
Slip the tip of the thermometer under your tongue just to one side of its center. Close your lips around it.
An oral thermometer can also be used under the armpit, but because this method is much less precise, it should only be used if the mouth is not an option.
Step 4: Wait until reading complete
Wait until the reading is complete—often indicated by a serious of beeps or by allowing a more than a minute to pass—as directed by your thermometer’s instructions.
Step 5: Remove thermometer
Remove the thermometer and look at the digital reading. The average normal mouth temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit—if the reading is less than 95 degrees Fahrenheit or more than 103, seek medical assistance.
If the reading is less than 95 degrees Fahrenheit or more than 103, seek medical assistance.
Step 6: Clean thermometer
Clean the thermometer. Wash the tip with warm water and soap, and wipe it off with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Most states have outlawed the manufacturing and distribution of mercury thermometers.
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