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.

wefast.care - Can You Brush Your Teeth While Fasting? - WeFast

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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.

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Plus … morning breath … yuk!

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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.

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

What breaks a fast?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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What happens to your body on a 3 day fast?

72+ hours. Once you've been fasting for three days or more, your body enters a deep state of ketosis. All the previous benefits: Autophagy, the uptick in the production of beneficial chemicals and hormones, fat loss, and mental clarity continue to increase.

mindbodygreen.com - What Actually Happens To Your Body During A Fast, Hour By Hour

The second phase kicks off after four hours and lasts up until about 16 hours from your last meal. This is the "catabolic," or breakdown, phase, when all those extra nutrients start being released from storage to be used for energy. Once the energy stored in your cells runs out, your body starts to rely instead on stored fat. The process of releasing fat and burning it up for energy releases chemicals known as ketone bodies for energy, which usually happens around the 16-hour mark. The rate at which you reach this stage really depends on what you ate for the last couple of meals before your fast. If you ate a lot of carbs and starch, it will take a bit longer than if you ate mostly fats and protein. One of the most powerful features of fasting, called autophagy, also kicks off during this phase. Autophagy is triggered by a reduction in a growth regulator called MTOR, and this process is basically a spring cleaning for your cells. It gets rid of any dead or damaged cellular material3 , which can otherwise contribute to aging, cancer, and chronic disease.

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