It is common that it is impossible not only to eat food before some laboratory blood tests, but also to use toothpaste. We decided to check whether the oral cavity can affect the results of the tests.
On sites some medical institutions Recommend Do not brush your teeth before blood donation for Determining the level of glucose, biochemical analysis and some others research. It is argued that individual components of toothpaste when swallowing can distort the test results. Moreover, on other specialized resources indicatedthat the brushing of the teeth is not forbidden before the same analyzes. About whether it is possible to conduct morning hygiene of the oral cavity before visiting the procedural cabinet, visitors to the services ask questions And answers.
Not all blood tests must be taken on an empty stomach. Among thosethat they do not require preliminary short -term starvation - the study of the level of hormones, because eaten food is not able to influence these indicators. Therefore, there is no reason to avoid brushing your teeth using toothpaste on the eve of such tests. However, before passing some tests, to obtain more accurate results, you should refuse to eat and drinks (except water) within 8-12 hours. So, on an empty stomach Recommended hand over biochemical A blood test (it reflects the condition of protein, carbohydrate, lipid and mineral metabolism, as well as the activity of some blood serum enzymes), analyzes for glucose and cholesterol. These are the most common studies that require refusal to food before biomaterial fence, however, some more specific tests may also require special preparationincluding abstinence from food in general or from certain products. This is due to the fact that after eating, nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and can affect the amount of blood components under study. Usually, when the patient is sent to the study, the doctor warns of the necessary preparation. Also before the analyzes passed on an empty stomach, experts Consult Refrain from alcohol, smoking and intensive physical activity.
No matter how carefully the person weaves toothpaste and rinse his mouth after cleaning (what to do dentists, by the way, Not recommended), a small amount of this product can still be swallowed. So in this sense, tooth brushing can really be equated to meals - the product enters the digestive system. Another question is whether the components of the toothpaste can somehow influence blood tests in any way.
These means of oral hygiene, which is logical, do not contain any nutrients. Accurate compound it may vary depending on the manufacturer and the specifics of a particular product, but the main Components Toothpasts are sodium lauryl sulfate (it is found in most detergents - shampoos, dishwashing meals, washing powders - and is responsible, in fact, for cleansing and the formation of foam), fluorine (strengthens tooth enamel), triclosan (has an antibacterial effect), as well as abrasive particles, such as hydrated silicon dioxide. In addition, pastes contain preservatives, binding components, dyes, etc. To disguise the unpleasant “soap” or bitter taste of some substances in the composition of the pasta, manufacturers usually Add It has artificial flavors and sweeteners.
These sweeteners can be divided into two groups. The first is sucrose substitutes, such as aspartam, sugarin and parcalosis. They themselves Do not affect to blood sugar (however, some studies ShowWhat indirectly can still cause its increase), which is why they are recommended as a safe alternative for diabetes patients. In calories, sugar -substitutes and natural sugar are approximately equal, but artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter, therefore, they are required to be added in a much smaller amount. Things are somewhat different with Sugar alcohols - For example, xylitis and sorbitol, which are part of some toothpastes. Although in popular science texts they are often combined into one group with sucrose-mentioned above, they have a slightly different effect. Firstly, sugar alcohols are much less sweet, they are approximately equal in the sweetness of natural sugar (some slightly less sweet, others are about two times sweeter). Secondly, they can really increase the level of glucose in the blood, but much less and much less sharply than natural sugar.
When brushing tooths Recommended Use a very small amount of toothpaste (about 1 g) and a most part of it usually spits it. The sweeteners are by no means the main component of toothpastes, so more than several milligrams are unlikely to get into the stomach after teeth brushing. Given the so low potential effect of these substances on blood sugar, it is extremely doubtful that the hundredths of a gram of a randomly swallowed toothpaste can seriously distort the results of the corresponding tests. The same applies to the possibility of absorption of sweeteners through the mucous membrane of the oral cavity in the process of cleaning.
Similar arguments are relevant in the case of a biochemical blood test: toothpastes do not contain proteins and fats, and carbohydrates in their composition are limited by the same sweeteners. “Verified” failed to find any information that other main components of the toothpaste can significantly affect other indicators studied during a biochemical blood test.
As for Cholesterol tests, then not for all of them you need preliminary preparation in the form of starvation - it is quite possible to have breakfast before some, although experts advise you to refuse the day before from alcohol and fatty foods. In any case, “verified” did not find evidence that the components of the toothpaste can affect the level of cholesterol in the blood. A full analysis includes the measurement of the content of low density lipoproteins in the blood (the so -called “bad” cholesterol that settles on the walls of blood vessels), high density lipoproteins (“good” cholesterol, which transfers its more harmful “brothers” back to the liver for processing), triglycerides and the general level of cholesterol. The causes of a high level of “poor” blood cholesterol can be different - from genetics to bad habits and unbalanced nutrition, but one way or another this substance is associated with fats that are not contained in the toothpaste, therefore it is unclear how tooth brushing can affect the results of such studies.
It should be noted that “verified” could not find recommendations to refuse to clean the teeth before taking blood tests on the sites of authoritative medical organizations, in the scientific literature and specialized reference books. In any case, if the doctor who directed the patient for tests recommended refraining from the use of toothpaste, to maintain oral hygiene, the teeth can simply be brushed with a brush, and then rinse the mouth with water.
Thus, when brushing teeth, it is really possible to swallow the toothpaste, and hence the sweeteners who are contained in it. Theoretically, some of them can affect the level of glucose in the blood, however, given how few substances that a person can accidentally swallow with the paste, it is doubtful that they are able to distinguish the results of the tests in any way. It was not possible to detect the connection between the brushing of the teeth and the indicators of the most common blood studies.
Photo on the cover: pexels.com
Read on the topic:
- Harvard Health Publishing. What's The Right Way to Brush Your Teeth?
- Did WH admit that the sweetener of aspartam causes cancer?
- Is it true that sugar soda is a healthier alternative to ordinary?
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