Your teeth may not be the first thing that comes to your mind during Ramadan. It is important to maintain your dental routines so that fasting does not have a negative impact on your oral health. If you have not been to your dentist in the last 5 months, do not forget to make an appointment for a dental check-up before you start the fast. Your dentist can point out any problems that require immediate attention to get you comfortable while fasting.
You can visit your dentist with peace of mind for your dental check-ups during Ramadan. One reason why dental clinics are closed or less crowded during Ramadan is that some fasting people think that dental treatments may break their fast. In this article, we explain what you should pay attention to in dental treatments while fasting.
There Is No Problem With Your Tooth Brushing
Many fasting people, especially if they did not have the opportunity to brush their teeth before the morning prayer, may have bad breath that can disturb their surroundings during the day. According to Islamic jurists, brushing teeth with toothpaste does not break the fast, provided that you do not swallow water and toothpaste.
Even if you brush your teeth without paste, you should be careful not to repeatedly remove your toothbrush from your mouth or swallow the water in your mouth; Swallowing the moisture and water that enters your mouth each time you take out the toothbrush and put it in your mouth can break your fast.
Dental Instruments Do Not Break The Fast
Dental instruments or any inedible object in the mouth does not invalidate the fast. Thus, you can visit your dentist with peace of mind for your dental check-ups during Ramadan.
Don’t Worry About Anesthesia
Perhaps the most important concern of patients undergoing dental treatment during Ramadan is the fear of anesthesia, which is one of the necessities of many dental treatments. However, some people may think that the painkiller injected into the mouth is an external object and break the fast. According to Islamic jurists, fasting people should avoid injecting ampoules that provide nutrients to the body. However, he emphasizes that injecting an ampoule that numbs an organ or relieves pain does not invalidate the fast.
Do Not Swallow Dental Blood or Secretions
Dental treatments, especially tooth extraction, can cause mouth bleeding or other discharge. Inadvertently swallowing tooth blood or secretions does not invalidate the fast. However, some Islamic jurists argue that pulling teeth or any action that causes bleeding or the flow of water or other liquids into the mouth is considered makruh of fasting.
Don’t Worry About Spontaneous Discharges
If some discharge comes out of the abscess channel (fistula) that opens into the mouth and the patient swallows them naturally with saliva, his fast will not be broken. However, if the patient swallows these substances after they are deliberately removed by the patient or the dentist, according to the jurists, even if these substances dissolve in the saliva, it invalidates the fast.
There is No Harm in Making Temporary Filling
After certain dental procedures, such as root canal treatment or gum surgery, the dentist may use a temporary filling to close a hole in the tooth to prevent food and bacteria from entering the hole and causing further dental problems. Temporary fillings can slowly dissolve in saliva and cause a bitter taste in the mouth. Involuntary swallowing of dental fillings does not invalidate the fast.
Don’t Forget To Floss While Fasting
Intentionally swallowing the food leftovers between the teeth invalidates the fast. To prevent this, you should use dental floss after sahur in Ramadan. No excuse is acceptable for not flossing while fasting. Brushing, flossing and rinsing are the basic principles of oral hygiene that should never be overlooked. It is noteworthy that flossing replaces tooth brushing to remove interdental plaque and tartar, rather than removing food particles from the interdental space. When flossing, do not use each piece of floss more than once because when you take the wet part of the floss out of your mouth and put it back in your mouth, the moisture from the outside will dissolve in your saliva. In this case, swallowing your saliva invalidates the fast. In order not to doubt the validity of the fast, it is better to use flavorless and flavorless dental floss.
