When you find out that you have a problem with gluten, whether it’s celiac disease or gluten intolerance, you immediately start reading labels on every food you want to eat. You may be surprised to learn that you also have to look at products that go in your mouth like toothpaste, mouthwash, and even lip gloss! Ingesting even a small amount of gluten from dental or lip products can make a celiac or gluten intolerant person very ill.
The good news is that nearly every toothpaste manufacturer gives gluten information on their website. Check the website of your favorite toothpaste brand to verify that their product is indeed free of gluten ingredients.
You might also worry about gluten in the products at the dentist. In an article written for Gluten-free Living magazine, author Amy Ratner went through the process of contacting the companies that supply paste & fluoride treatments to dentists. Every supplier that she contacted confirmed that their polishing paste and fluoride treatments, as well as their other products, were all gluten-free.
Check with your dentist at least a week before your scheduled cleaning to ask if they have verified that the products they will use are free of gluten. Click here to find a dentist near you. Dentists and dental professionals are forthcoming about any interactions their products could pose, so that when you’re at the dentist, you can sit back and relax.
Find more information about celiac disease and dental care at beyondceliac.org.