Hmm! Are you an intermittent fasting person wondering – Does toothpaste break a fast? Discover the truth about how brushing your teeth with toothpaste impacts intermittent fasting weight loss and health benefits like fat-burning and autophagy.
When I began my intermittent fasting weight loss journey in January of 2021, one of my biggest fasting wonderings was about toothpaste. I wanted to know whether my minty fresh breath was triggering an insulin spike and possibly interfering with my weight loss results and intermittent fasting journey.
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In this post, So What IF? with Jen will address the following questions related to fasting and daily teeth brushing:
- What technically breaks a fast for intermittent fasters?
- How many calories in toothpaste?
- Will brushing my teeth with toothpaste ruin the benefits of intermittent fasting or interfere with my weight loss efforts?
What Technically Breaks a Fast?
For a fasting period to be broken during intermittent fasting, you need to consume something that has calories. In other words, if you eat or drink anything that provides your body with energy, like food, drinks with added sugars, or anything containing calories, it breaks the fast.
Additionally, a fast can technically be broken in several ways other than just consuming calories. This includes ingesting significant PROTEIN INTAKE, consuming foods that STIMULATE THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, food and drinks that SPIKE INSULIN LEVELS and BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, items that have an IMPACT ON GUT MICROBIOME, and certain MEDICATIONS and SUPPLEMENTS.
Simply speaking, when you eat, your body releases insulin. This insulin response helps sugar from the food get into your cells for energy. So, when insulin is released, it means the fasting window is over, you have officially broken your fast, and your body starts using the food you ate for energy instead.
What is in Toothpaste?
Commercial toothpastes, in general, usually contains fluoride, a mineral that makes your teeth strong and helps prevent cavities. It also has abrasives like calcium carbonate, which scrub away plaque and stains from tooth enamel to keep your teeth clean. Additionally, depending on the brand, toothpaste often has flavorings to make your mouth feel fresh and clean, plus foaming agents that help spread the toothpaste around when you brush.
How Many Calories in Toothpaste?
Since we know that calorie intake technically breaks a fast, let’s talk about calories in toothpaste.
After spending an afternoon scouring the internet for much longer than I would have liked, I found a variety of answers to this burning question related to fasting and dental hygiene.
Some sources said toothpaste does not have calories – it is not meant to be ingested. Other sources, however, claimed that toothpaste does contain a very small amount of calories, usually around 1-3 calories per serving.
Will Brushing My Teeth Interfere with the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
If your fasting goals are weight loss or health related, the short answer is – NO. Brushing your teeth with toothpaste should not interfere with your body entering into fat-burning mode.
Since you spit out toothpaste after brushing instead of swallowing it like food or drink, the calories in toothpaste do not actually get consumed, therefore it should not break your fast or interfere with the many benefits, like weight loss and autophagy, that come with living an intermittent fasting lifestyle.
In other words – leave your worries and bad breath behind, and continue to keep good oral hygiene at the tippy top of your daily routine TO DO list.
Additional Toothpaste and Fasting Thoughts
- It is important to note, however, that some toothpaste brands may contain more sugars or artificial sweeteners than other brands. This may have a slightly different impact on whether a fast is broken or not.
- During fasting for religious purposes, it’s important to avoid swallowing anything, including toothpaste, to maintain the fast. Opt for using water to rinse your mouth or choose a non-fluoride toothpaste. It’s also a good idea to check with your spiritual leader to determine whether brushing your teeth, in general, is allowed during fasting.
- Try to brush your teeth for the last time immediately following your last meal of the day. This should be right before you begin your fasting hours.
- If you are looking for a super awesome natural toothpaste, check out the HELLO brand right here. I love this brand and have been using it for many years now. It’s been a perfect pick for fighting tooth decay and keeping my breath fresh while losing 46 pounds in 4 months with intermittent fasting. It’s Fluoride, Peroxide and Gluten-Free and contains Natural Peppermint Flavor, Coconut Oil, and Tea Tree Oil.
Toothpaste Takeaway
The takeaway – don’t sweat the small stuff. When it comes to toothpaste and intermittent fasting – just keep brushing and stop worrying about it breaking your fast. Your oral health is way more important. After all, you’re definitely gonna want to have clean fresh breath when you’re raving to all of your friends about the amazing success you’ve had with intermittent fasting!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. Have a very blessed and beautiful day!
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