How Long To Wait To Take Temperature After Drinking Water

December 12, 2023 by Pranay David

Nowadays, people have a digital thermometer on their own to check their temperature. But there are certain guidelines on how and when to use it. The first and foremost concern is how long should you wait to take temperature after drinking water. To find out the answer, continue reading this article.

The average temperature of your body is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit and varies from 97.7 to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Basically you can check your body temperature via a digital thermometer in various ways.

The three most frequently used home thermometers are the Ear thermometer, Temporal thermometer, and Oral thermometer.

Ear Thermometer: A digital ear thermometer uses infrared light to measure the temperature inside your ear canal. When using an ear thermometer, make sure your ear is clean so that you can get an appropriate temperature reading.

Temporal Thermometer: This type of thermometer uses an infrared scanner to determine the temperature of the temporal artery in your forehead. They measure the temperature in a quick time but are difficult to use.

When the placement and motion of this thermometer are not carried out properly, your reading will be inaccurate.

Oral Thermometer: Oral thermometers are easy and simple to use. It is an inexpensive thermometer that most houses make use of it to check the temperature of your body. You have to use an oral thermometer to check your temperature orally.

When using the oral thermometer, you should be aware of when you should check the temperature especially after drinking water. This can be classified as checking your temperature after drinking hot water and and after drinking cold water.

However, you should wait 30 minutes after drinking water to check your temperature by mouth. Let us know more about checking your temperature after drinking hot and cold water.(1)

Article Contains

Drinking hot water will usually raise your temperature. Before checking your temperature, it is prescribed to wait for about 20 to 30 minutes after drinking hot water.

If you check your temperature immediately after drinking hot water, you may get the result as a high body temperature. This is because the hot water increases your body temperature.

Measuring your body temperature after drinking hot water may increase your oral reading by about 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius for up to 15 to 20 minutes.

So, it is ideal to wait for nearly 30 minutes after drinking hot water to get optimum results.

Taking your temperature test after drinking cold water may have varying results. Checking your temperature orally right after drinking cold water can have inaccurate readings.

It decreases your body temperature by cooling down your body internally. You will get an erroneous reading if you measure your temperature after consuming cold water.

Drinking cold water causes your oral reading to fall 0.2 to 1.2 degrees Celsius, a reduction that lasts about 10 to 15 minutes.

For this reason, It is suggested to hold for 20 to 30 minutes after drinking cold water and then check for your temperature to get the precise readings.(2)

Basic Guidelines On How To Check Your Temperature

Always clean your thermometer before and after every use.
Use cool, soapy water or rubbing alcohol to clean your thermometer.
Wash your hands properly with soap and warm water before using the thermometer.
Wait for at least six hours after taking any medications.
If you have been eating or drinking, wait for about 30 minutes before taking your temperature test.
Wait for 1 hour at least after heavy exercise or a hot bath before measuring your temperature.
While monitoring your temperature, it is important to be consistent because there is a fluctuation in your temperature. Hence, be sure to check your temperature around the same time each day.(3)

How Long to Wait to Take Temperature After Eating?

You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating before taking your temperature. This will allow your food to digest and give you a more accurate reading.(4)

Conclusion

Your body temperature fluctuates hour by hour due to various factors. There will be a significant change in your temperature after drinking hot water or cold water. On the whole, it is certainly recommendable to wait for 30 minutes to take temperature after drinking water.

Scientific Evidence: