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Can we brush teeth while fasting?

If you're wondering, Can I brush my teeth while fasting? The answer is yes. There may be a small chance of breaking the fast due to the sweetness of the toothpaste flavor on the tongue (triggering insulin release) or if the toothpaste is swallowed.

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Since childhood, dentists have impressed upon us the importance of teeth brushing. We were told that we should – at the very least – brush our teeth when we wake up and before bed.

Plus … morning breath … yuk!

If you’re beginning the intermittent fasting journey, you’ve been told not to eat or drink anything (or consume minimal items) during the fasting period, so you don’t break your fast and discontinue fat burning.

But many wonder whether brushing teeth while fasting breaks the fast.

What breaks a fast?

There are different thoughts on what foods and drinks may break a fast when intermittent fasting. If your goal with intermittent fasting is to burn fat then learning to stay in a fasted state for a set amount of time is vital for success.

Regardless of the method of intermittent fasting, the body gets into fat-burning mode when blood sugar and insulin levels are significantly lowered and stay there for a period. At this point, the body has used up the fuel from the last meal and turns to stored fat for energy. Carbohydrates spike insulin levels. However, research shows that consuming fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day won’t raise blood sugar levels enough to trigger insulin release (1). Increased insulin levels are what break the fast.

There are two schools of thought on calorie consumption while fasting. Technically, any number of calories breaks a fast. Some people adhere to a “clean” fast, drinking only water or possibly adding in black coffee or unsweetened tea. Others follow a “dirty fast” and allow a few high-fat items such as coconut oil or butter or allow a tiny amount of lemon or lime juice.

Some people say it is OK to chew sugarless gum or use an artificial sweetener during a fast if it contains zero calories. The issue with this is that the mere taste of sweetness on the tongue receptors may enhance insulin release, regardless of calories (2). This is where the question of can you brush your teeth while fasting arises.

Does toothpaste contain carbohydrates or sugar that would break the fast?

Toothpaste doesn’t contain sugar, but many commercial toothpastes are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, so technically, brushing your teeth could break your fast. Realistically, unless you swallow the toothpaste, the small amount used will most likely not raise blood sugar and insulin levels and will not break the fast.

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Does fasting burn fat or muscle?

Do You Lose Muscle When Fasting? Nearly all studies of intermittent fasting have been conducted for weight loss purposes ( 1 ). It is important to realize that without exercise, weight loss will usually come from a loss of both fat mass and lean mass. Lean mass is everything besides fat, including muscle ( 4 ).

Although intermittent fasting is very popular, there is sometimes confusion about what it actually is. This is likely because intermittent fasting is a broad term, describing several specific types of eating. Here are the most common types ( 1 ):

Time-Restricted Eating

Time-restricted eating (also known as time-restricted feeding) restricts all calories to a certain number of hours each day. This may range from 4–12 hours, but an 8-hour eating period is common.

Alternate-Day Fasting

As the name implies, alternate-day fasting consists of alternating between fasting days and non-fasting days. This means you fast every other day. While some people eat nothing on the fasting days (true fasting), it is more common to have one small meal on the fasting day (modified fasting).

Periodic Fasting

Periodic fasting (also known as whole-day fasting) consists of occasional fasts, separated by days or weeks of normal eating. While exact definitions vary, programs involving fasting for one or more days every 1–4 weeks are often considered periodic fasting.

The 5:2 Diet

The popular 5:2 diet is very similar to alternate-day and periodic fasting.

It involves eating normally for five days per week and eating about 25% of your normal amount of calories two days per week ( 2 ). The very low-calorie days could be considered a form of modified fasting, particularly if you only consume one meal.

Religious Fasting

Many different religions have regular periods of fasting.

Examples include the month of Ramadan observed by Muslims and various fasts associated with Orthodox Christianity ( 3 ). Summary There are several different types of intermittent fasting, such as time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, the 5:2 diet and religious fasting. While they have some common features, the specific programs vary widely.

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