Taking a blood test is a very simple and quick way to evaluate your health. Thanks to such tests, you can find out the amount of sugar or hormones in the blood, the presence of inflammation in the body, and much more. Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to brush your teeth before blood donation and at the same time get the most clear test results. We will talk about this in our article.
Can I brush my teeth before donating blood?
Experts draw attention to the fact that almost all toothpastes contain sweeteners that will be absorbed very quickly into the blood during the toothbrushing process itself. This is done in the mucous membrane of the mouth, namely in the area under the tongue.
Therefore, the question of whether it is possible to brush your teeth before blood donation, the definitive answer is no. Especially if you want to check your sugar level. In no case should you carry out this procedure for children who, while brushing their teeth, also swallow a small amount of toothpaste with a sweet taste.
How to maintain oral hygiene
Doctors recommend brushing your teeth well before bedtime. In this case, be sure to brush the tongue, because it contains just an incredibly huge number of pathogenic microbes. This plaque contains microorganisms that lead to bad breath. It doesn’t matter if your teeth are healthy or not.
But in the morning you can thoroughly rinse your mouth with purified water. For maximum effect, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to it. This substance can neutralize bacteria that appear in your oral cavity during the night, and also removes unpleasant odors. If you are still wondering whether it is possible to brush your teeth before blood donation, then read the article further.
In fact, you can easily brush your teeth and tongue without using toothpaste. Thus, you can rid the oral cavity of unpleasant plaque.
Pay attention to a very important point. In no case should you replace toothpaste with chewing gum. All chewing gums contain sugar in one or another of its manifestations, as well as a large number of harmful synthetic substances. This will not only have a negative effect on your digestive system, but also affect the results of the tests.
Biochemistry analysis
A very topical issue is whether it is possible to drink water before donating blood for biochemistry. Most often, doctors, sending their patients for blood donation, pay special attention to the fact that you can not eat food before testing. However, very rarely does anyone talk about whether it is possible to drink liquid.
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 directed specifically to check such indicators, do not drink water before taking the test.
Are there exceptions
So many patients are interested in what is possible and what is impossible before donating blood. So, before taking blood from a vein, doctors still recommend drinking a small amount of water. This will greatly facilitate the procedure itself. This is especially important for pregnant women.
General tips before donating blood
Is it possible to brush my teeth before donating blood - this is a particularly urgent issue, especially if the test is given to check the amount of sugar in the blood.
Despite the negligible amount of sugars in toothpaste, they can still distort the results of the studies. We all know that the process of blood donation is not the most pleasant, and I do not really want to do this again. Therefore, we recommend that you prepare well before the procedure.
Doctors recommend following a few rules:
- Try to get a good night's sleep before the procedure.
- If possible, stop using the medicine three days before taking the blood. However, be sure to consult your doctor about this. Perhaps you are strictly forbidden to do this.
- A few days before the procedure, completely abandon the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
- Be sure to come to the laboratory only on an empty stomach. The exception is even tea and coffee.
How to eat before donating blood for sugar
Very often, doctors disagree. Some say that you can’t eat food twelve hours before the procedure. Others say it can be limited 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 and spicy foods to avoid incorrect interpretation of the results. It is also advisable to abandon bananas and citrus fruits. As you already understood, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to brush your teeth before taking a blood test for sugar is no.
But what could be the perfect 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 refrain from sweets. But if you cannot afford it, then eat some honey or a small flour product. You can also eat some dried apricots or dried fruits. A small amount of fruit, such as apples, plums or pomegranates, is also allowed.
Of course, it is advisable to do without breakfast, but if you can’t endure, you can eat some buckwheat porridge without milk. Yeast-free drying is good. You can also drink purified water without dyes and gas.
What to do after blood donation
Experts recommend relaxing after the procedure for fifteen minutes. Try not to smoke immediately after taking the tests.
If possible, refrain from physical activity and alcohol on this day. Eat well and drink plenty of fluids.
Summarizing
Could and brush your teeth before donating blood for sugar - this is a very difficult question. Take full responsibility for your health. Do not forget that any toothpaste contains sugars that enter your bloodstream very quickly. The same applies to chewing gums.
Also note 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 take breakfast, and do not drink plenty of water before the procedure.
Biochemical tests are a very accurate method for assessing your health status. Observing all the rules for passing tests, you can get all the data about the diseases, as well as about the possibility of their onset. Be healthy and take care of yourself.