Types of Digital Thermometers

Video Transcript

"When it comes to selecting a digital thermometer for home use there is a number of choices on the market and it comes down not only to issues of price and how much your willing to spend but also it's a general assessment of which thermometer type is going to be best for you. The thermometer I have to use today for a demonstration is a simple digital thermometer. Works much in the same way that an old school glass thermometer would work. Put it under the tongue, it detects the temperature, gives you a read out. It takes a minute or two to do that. This thermometer cost $3.50. It's available at a drug store. Grocery store. Just about anywhere you can find health aides you will find a digital thermometer. And the advantages of this is not only that it's cheap and small but it's also very accurate and it's going to serve most purposes for homes where adults are your main patients. Or older children. Basically anybody who can tolerate holding a thermometer under their tongue. An important difference to note with a thermometer, digital thermometer, is to make sure if you want one for oral purposes to buy an oral thermometer or if you're looking for a rectal thermometer you buy a rectal thermometer. Not only are the tips different depending on the purpose but the thermometer is calibrated differently. Rectal temperatures tend to be a degree higher or so than standard body temperature which is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. And oral thermometers are calibrated for the 98.6 degree temperature."