Thermometers

Common types of thermometers include

• Digital 'stick' thermometers. Digital thermometers are very easy to use and objectively accurate in their results 

• Ear (tympanic) thermometers

• Infrared thermometers

• Strip-type thermometers

• Mercury thermometers

The general body part temperature that indicates fever are

• Oral temperature about 37.8 degrees Celsius or higher

• Rectal or temporal artery temperature of about 38 degrees Celsius and can be higher

• Armpit temperature of 37.2 degrees Celsius or more

A clinical thermometer cannot be used for measuring high temperatures because the range of a clinical thermometer is only between 35 degrees Celsius to 42 degrees Celsius while a high temperature such as boiling water is nearly 100 degrees Celsius. A clinical temperature is likely to break at such a high temperature because of sudden expansion.

Laser thermometers provide fast results as opposed to mercury thermometers whose readings are slower to realize because you have to wait for the mercury to heat and then slowly rise to display the temperature.

Laser thermometers are also slowly replacing conventional mercury thermometers because they include various technologies that provide better accuracy, which has even made them a popular choice over mercury thermometers.

Digital thermometers are known to give the most accurate body temperature readings. It can be used easily and correctly. There are many types such as oral, rectal, and forehead digital thermometers.