Preparing for the test is as important a stage as the correctness of the study itself. High-level clinics always issue a memo that indicates factors that can affect the reliability of the results obtained. But sometimes you may find that the patient himself is forced to ask questions or seek information about proper preparation. Recently, the opinion has been increasingly voiced that you should not brush your teeth before donating blood. Experts will tell you whether you always need to adhere to this requirement or whether it is only valid in certain cases.
Effect of toothpaste
Special preparation before taking the test is needed to ensure that the blood formula and all its indicators do not change in any way. It seems that brushing your teeth a few hours before going to the laboratory cannot have such a significant effect on the blood, especially since no one eats toothpaste. The foam is simply spit out, which means it does not enter the stomach in large quantities.
It is clear that when it comes to small children, they are capable of swallowing a certain amount of toothpaste or simply not being able to spit out the excess normally. But adults cope with this easily. So why might brushing your teeth make a difference? To understand this, it is necessary to recall two important points:
- The absorption of various substances begins not in the stomach, but in the oral cavity. This is where the digestion process starts, and it happens quite actively. At the same time, to give them a pleasant taste, toothpastes often contain sugars, which very quickly penetrate the mucous membrane into the body and pass into the blood.
- For certain analyses, even the slightest changes are important, since various agents and substances are present in the smallest concentrations, so even a slight shift significantly affects the overall picture.
The most undesirable substances that can change the real picture are triclosan and saccharin. Toothpastes that foam a lot also contain substances that affect the protein composition of the blood.
Why you shouldn't brush your teeth before donating blood
Accurate results depend, first of all, on the laboratory staff where the blood test is done and the resulting material is processed.
And the patient’s task is to fulfill the conditions on his part so that the indicators are as accurate as possible. We are accustomed to undergoing laboratory tests since childhood, having learned that this is periodically done on an empty stomach. Especially when selling for sugar. But few people were told whether it was possible to brush your teeth before donating blood. It turns out that the results can be distorted by accidentally swallowing toothpaste.
Various requirements
All of the above can affect some analyzes and does not matter for others. In some cases, it makes no difference whether the patient performed oral hygiene for several hours before donating blood or not, while in others it can cause an incorrect diagnosis and prescribed treatment. Therefore, below we describe in more detail the most common and important blood tests and the impact of dental treatments on their data.
General analysis
The substances contained in the toothpaste do not have any effect on those indicators that are reflected in the OAC. Before the collection, you must not eat for 12 hours, drink any drinks other than water, or smoke.
Analysis for biochemical parameters (without glucose)
As in the previous case, there are no restrictions on the use of oral hygiene products. Preparation consists of eliminating fatty foods a day before sampling, eating a light dinner and completely abstaining from alcohol a few days before going to the laboratory or diagnostic center.
Glucose test
In this case, the sugar contained in most pastes can affect glucose levels, which will take several hours to recover. To prevent high errors, you should not brush your teeth before taking blood.
Sugar analysis
The composition of the toothpaste can affect your blood sugar levels, so you should not brush 10 hours before taking the material.
Hormone analysis
A huge number of hormones are composed of proteins, and substances absorbed in the oral cavity from toothpaste ingredients change the protein component.
Urea test
Urea is the end product of protein breakdown in the body. To determine the level of this substance, venous blood is taken. Since foaming agents from toothpaste affect the protein composition, they can also change the concentration of urea, which will not correspond to the real picture. Therefore, brushing your teeth in this case is contraindicated.
Coronavirus test
During this testing, you cannot brush your teeth, since PCR diagnostics are carried out by identifying immunoglobulins, and they belong to protein substances. The accuracy of the obtained indicators may be impaired, and antibodies to coronavirus will not be detected.
All these restrictions apply not only to toothpaste, but also to other oral products. Mouthwashes, sprays, and even chewing gums cause the same data disturbances.
Types of research
There are many specific types of blood tests, differing both in subject and method of examination.
Blood contains a large number of elements, the combination of which can indicate the presence of a problem and shed light on processes occurring in the body that go beyond normal limits.
Most pathologies in one way or another affect the composition of microelements in the blood, which is why it is possible, using tests, to determine possible problems, the degree of development of pathological processes and even their localization.
Among the large number of possible research in medicine, the most popular will be:
- a general clinical blood test, which can be taken either from a finger or from a vein;
- blood test for biochemistry;
- sugar test;
- hormone analysis;
- analysis for the presence of specific antibodies that arise to certain types of infection.
In addition to those listed, there are other types of possible studies.
They will differ in the subject of study - whether it will be an analysis of the properties of blood, a study of the percentage of its particles, or the identification of specific substances - it will be difficult to list them all.
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In addition, even the above research methods (for example, a blood sugar test) can be carried out in different ways in order to obtain the most accurate and necessary data for a particular case.
There are several types of blood sugar tests, and each requires a special approach.
The specifics of preparing for testing will differ primarily from the purpose of the study.
Before carrying out the analysis, it is necessary to create conditions that will help obtain the most “pure” results, unaltered by any (even minimal) external influence.
Alternative
The most undesirable ingredients that cause test failures are artificial sweeteners (most commonly aspartame) and foaming agents (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), or sodium lauryl sulfate ether).
There are also products that do not contain these ingredients. Most often these are formulas based on activated or bamboo carbon. They are organic and usually cost more than classic ones. Plus, you won't find them in regular supermarkets. Not every doctor is able to adequately analyze all components, so it is better not to take risks and not use any toothpastes.
But this does not mean at all that you need to go to a clinic or diagnostic center with bad breath. You can clean it with regular baking soda. This method cannot be considered safe, as it can cause scratches on the enamel. But you can brush your teeth this way once without negative consequences.
How to maintain oral hygiene
Doctors recommend brushing your teeth thoroughly twice before going to bed. At the same time, be sure to go over your tongue with a brush, because it contains an incredibly huge number of pathogenic microbes. This plaque contains microorganisms that lead to bad breath. It doesn’t matter whether your teeth are healthy or not.
But in the morning you can rinse your mouth thoroughly with purified water. For maximum effect, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to it. This substance will be able to neutralize bacteria that appeared in your mouth during the night, and will also remove the unpleasant odor. If you are still wondering whether it is possible to brush your teeth before donating blood, then read the article further.
In fact, you can lightly brush your teeth and tongue without using toothpaste. This way you can rid your mouth of unpleasant plaque.
Please note a very important point. Under no circumstances should you replace toothpaste with chewing gum. All chewing gum contains sugar in one form or another, as well as a large amount of harmful synthetic substances. This will not only have a negative impact on your digestive system, but will also affect your test results.
Summarizing
It is also possible to brush your teeth before donating blood for sugar - this is a very difficult question. Take full responsibility for your health. Don't forget that any toothpaste contains sugars that will enter your blood very quickly. The same applies to chewing gum.
Also keep in mind that not all hospitals use good reagents, so try to take all measures to ensure that the tests show the most accurate results. Do not eat breakfast or drink large amounts of water before the procedure.
Biochemical tests are a very accurate method of assessing your health. By following all the rules for taking tests, you will be able to obtain all the data about diseases, as well as the possibility of their occurrence. Be healthy and take care of yourself.
Taking a biochemistry test
A very pressing question is whether it is possible to drink water before donating blood for biochemistry. Most often, doctors, when sending their patients to donate blood, emphasize that they should not eat before testing. However, very rarely does anyone talk about whether liquids can be drunk.
In fact, it all depends on the criteria that will be studied during the analysis. Please note that even the smallest amount of water in the body will have an effect on the concentration of leukocytes, as well as the level of glucose in the blood. Therefore, if you were sent specifically to check such indicators, do not drink the water before taking the test.
Briefly about the procedure
It is very important that during the research process the results are not distorted.
The procedure can be carried out in 2 ways:
- A general blood test is carried out by taking biological material from a finger. It shows the exact level of hemoglobin, red blood cells and sugar levels.
- Collection from a vein - a more in-depth study. With its help you can find out: coagulability, Rh factor, blood group, determine hormonal levels, the presence of antibodies, biochemistry.
When collecting, there are certain rules that are not recommended to be violated. Otherwise, the results may be distorted, leading to ineffective treatment. Therefore, the donation of biological material must be approached with all responsibility.
In what cases is it possible
Domestic laboratories sometimes face different approaches to restrictions before collecting blood for research. Thus, most do not recommend using toothpastes before submitting a sample of material for hormones, but in some cases attention is not focused on this. Thyroid hormones can be affected by iodine-containing toothpaste (with brine, etc.).
Pregnancy and tests taken during this period are considered separately. One of the main ones is the hCG test. It is administered on an empty stomach, and it is not recommended to drink before it for at least an hour. But immediately before blood sampling, you are allowed to drink some clean water without gas, sugar and other additives. This will facilitate the work of the nurse who will draw blood for the test into a syringe, since in pregnant women even a temporary restriction in drinking leads to difficulties during the procedure. It is better to abstain from toothpaste.
Cholesterol analysis requires restrictions only on food; toothpaste is not a hindrance. The same applies to determining Rh and blood group, the presence of antibodies and some other laboratory tests.
What to eat before donating blood for sugar
Very often doctors disagree. Some say that you should not eat food twelve hours before the procedure. Others say that you can limit yourself to three hours. What to do in this case, what you can eat before donating blood for sugar, we will consider below.
On the day before the test, you should not eat sweet, fatty or spicy foods to avoid incorrect interpretation of the results. It is also advisable to avoid bananas and citrus fruits. As you already understand, the answer to the question of whether you can brush your teeth before taking a blood sugar test is no.
But what would be the ideal dinner before the procedure? Experts recommend eating chicken breast with rice, as well as raw or steamed vegetables. Of course, it is advisable to completely abstain from sweets. But if you cannot afford this, then eat a little honey or a small flour product. You can also eat some dried apricots or dried fruits. Small amounts of fruit such as apples, plums or pomegranates are also allowed.
Of course, it is advisable to do without breakfast, but if you cannot stand it, you can eat some buckwheat porridge without milk. Yeast-free drying works well. You can also drink purified water without dyes or gas.
