Teeth Cleaning At Dentist's

[Mimsy]

I had my teeth cleaned yesterday and had a bad reaction. 27 hours later I am starting to get better. I don't see how it could be anything else I ate that day. Has anyone had a similar problem? If so, what type of professional cleaning product should I ask for? I react easily to any small amount of gluten and have to read all labels or I pay for it with a reaction.

I had a similar issue.....I have gotten "glutened" walking down the bread aisle in the grocery store....

Went to Dentist...got glutened...really bad glutened...could not even make it home...that God for gas stations with bathrooms.....

Discovered it was not any of the product used in my mouth....IT WAS THE POWDERED GLOVES!!!!!!!!!

I was very lucky that my dentist did not "blow me off"...he went nuts trying to figure it out...

So, the gloves may contain "flour" inside, or, well, watch your hygienist put on her gloves...she reaches in takes out the gloves, touches them (everywhere) and puts them on, one at a time...remember those gloves are sterile - until someone touches them!

Did she eat pizza for lunch???????????? Have a glazed donut with her latte????????????

My granddaughter got glutened at a birthday party where she ate her own gluten-free pizza, but the other kids ate regular pizza...then birthday girl's mom gave them all manicures...

There is one thing I have learned, CC can happen anywhere....I open doors with my shoulders, never, ever put my hands near my mouth but still...it happens...

gosh, library books are filled with crumbs....

you'll go nuts trying to figure it out!

But, remember even when you call companies to find out if their product is gluten-free...I still get that stupid answer "we don't add gluten to our products"....cross them off your list......so even if the dentist's office called manufacturers, they may very well have gotten that same answer and (because they are not Celiac), they don't understand that that statement means nothing.

Next visit, ask your hygienist to wash her hands (in front of you) before she puts on the gloves!

Good Luck

[Gemini]

I had a similar issue.....I have gotten "glutened" walking down the bread aisle in the grocery store....

Went to Dentist...got glutened...really bad glutened...could not even make it home...that God for gas stations with bathrooms.....

Discovered it was not any of the product used in my mouth....IT WAS THE POWDERED GLOVES!!!!!!!!!

I was very lucky that my dentist did not "blow me off"...he went nuts trying to figure it out...

So, the gloves may contain "flour" inside, or, well, watch your hygienist put on her gloves...she reaches in takes out the gloves, touches them (everywhere) and puts them on, one at a time...remember those gloves are sterile - until someone touches them!

Did she eat pizza for lunch???????????? Have a glazed donut with her latte????????????

My granddaughter got glutened at a birthday party where she ate her own gluten-free pizza, but the other kids ate regular pizza...then birthday girl's mom gave them all manicures...

There is one thing I have learned, CC can happen anywhere....I open doors with my shoulders, never, ever put my hands near my mouth but still...it happens...

 

But, remember even when you call companies to find out if their product is gluten-free...I still get that stupid answer "we don't add gluten to our products"....cross them off your list......so even if the dentist's office called manufacturers, they may very well have gotten that same answer and (because they are not Celiac), they don't understand that that statement means nothing.

 

gosh, library books are filled with crumbs....

you'll go nuts trying to figure it out!

This post begs for a reply.......

 

Mimsy.......you just cannot be glutened by walking down the bread aisle at the grocery store.  You can, however, have a psychosomatic response to being around food that you have an intolerance to as the sense of smell is very powerful.  I am a very sensitive, diagnosed Celiac and if I get around hot pizza or walk down the stinky bread aisle of most grocery stores, I feel a little nauseous and will get a headache.  It is most definitley not a gluten reaction but a reaction to the smell of food known to make me/you sick.  You have to ingest gluten to cause a true Celiac reaction and proof of this can be found in any reputable book on Celiac Disease.

 

As for your dental appointment, there is no flour in powdered gloves.  Not even close. It usually is talcum powder.  The gloves are also not sterile because they don't need to be.

This isn't surgery and your mouth can handle whatever small amount of bacteria there is floating around in the real world.  Really...it can.  Otherwise we'd be dead by now.

 

It doesn't matter what your hygenist had for lunch either because any dentist or hygenist worth their salt would absolutely wash their hands before returning to work and putting on the gloves they use that don't need to be sterile. 

 

You cannot be glutened by opening doors with your hands but if you feel comfortable opening them using your shoulder, that's fine too.  Personally, I would be more worried about bacteria or viruses and germs than gluten but that's just me.  You cannot be "glutened" or cc'd anywhere and if you spent some time reading reputable information on Celiac Disease, you'd relax a bit and not think you were being cc'd eveywhere you go.  Case in point, library books. Really?  I've yet to find library books filled with crumbs that could gluten me.  This is not cause for worry.

 

 

But, remember even when you call companies to find out if their product is gluten-free...I still get that stupid answer "we don't add gluten to our products"....cross them off your list......so even if the dentist's office called manufacturers, they may very well have gotten that same answer and (because they are not Celiac), they don't understand that that statement means nothing.

 

I'm pretty sure that the dentist is not the only one here who doesn't understand statements verifiying gluten free status.    Dental products do not contain gluten.  I have had more dental work done than most people, due to Celiac damage.  I just finished up with my 3rd dental implant.  I researched this thoroughly when I was first diagnosed 9 years ago and could not find any dental product that was off limits to any Celiac.  I called dental reps and companies myself and had good conversations with them on this subject.  Guess what?  No gluten, but they make heavy use of gums and these can cause reactions that mimic a Celiac reaction for many.  Gums are difficult to digest.  Mystery solved.

 

Please....take the time to learn how this disease really works and what you actually have to be concerned about.  It'll save you a lot of time and aggravation! 

[dilettantesteph]

I had a similar issue.....I have gotten "glutened" walking down the bread aisle in the grocery store....

Went to Dentist...got glutened...really bad glutened...could not even make it home...that God for gas stations with bathrooms.....

Discovered it was not any of the product used in my mouth....IT WAS THE POWDERED GLOVES!!!!!!!!!

I was very lucky that my dentist did not "blow me off"...he went nuts trying to figure it out...

So, the gloves may contain "flour" inside, or, well, watch your hygienist put on her gloves...she reaches in takes out the gloves, touches them (everywhere) and puts them on, one at a time...remember those gloves are sterile - until someone touches them!

Did she eat pizza for lunch???????????? Have a glazed donut with her latte????????????

My granddaughter got glutened at a birthday party where she ate her own gluten-free pizza, but the other kids ate regular pizza...then birthday girl's mom gave them all manicures...

There is one thing I have learned, CC can happen anywhere....I open doors with my shoulders, never, ever put my hands near my mouth but still...it happens...

gosh, library books are filled with crumbs....

you'll go nuts trying to figure it out!

But, remember even when you call companies to find out if their product is gluten-free...I still get that stupid answer "we don't add gluten to our products"....cross them off your list......so even if the dentist's office called manufacturers, they may very well have gotten that same answer and (because they are not Celiac), they don't understand that that statement means nothing.

Next visit, ask your hygienist to wash her hands (in front of you) before she puts on the gloves!

Good Luck

 

Hi Mimsy,

Welcome to the forum.  I am also very sensitive and seem to react to things which some other celiacs say I couldn't possibly react to.  This made my initial recovery very difficult while I sorted this all out.  In this forum, they seem to like to make sure that the vast majority of celiacs who don't have problems like these are not alarmed by statements made by people like us.  Although this is the super sensitive section, many, myself included, just hit the New Content button and don't realize which section of the forum that they are in.  It helps if you say that you are super sensitive.  It also helps to say that you think that you had a reaction that seemed like a gluten reaction, because, of course, we can't know for certain that a reaction is to gluten, especially when something is considered gluten free by the vast majority of celiacs.  Personally, I find it useful to read the experiences of people like you.  Thank you for posting.

[CaliSparrow]

I had my teeth cleaned but did not know I had a problem with gluten and was still eating it at the time. One week later, I had an outbreak of shingles and then two months later, another outbreak of shingles. I attributed it to a little trauma combined with a lotta compromised immune system.

[Gemini]

Hi Mimsy,

Welcome to the forum.  I am also very sensitive and seem to react to things which some other celiacs say I couldn't possibly react to.  This made my initial recovery very difficult while I sorted this all out.  In this forum, they seem to like to make sure that the vast majority of celiacs who don't have problems like these are not alarmed by statements made by people like us.  Although this is the super sensitive section, many, myself included, just hit the New Content button and don't realize which section of the forum that they are in.  It helps if you say that you are super sensitive.  It also helps to say that you think that you had a reaction that seemed like a gluten reaction, because, of course, we can't know for certain that a reaction is to gluten, especially when something is considered gluten free by the vast majority of celiacs.  Personally, I find it useful to read the experiences of people like you.  Thank you for posting.

Why would it help anyone to say they are "super sensitive" when the situations that the poster described as causing a gluten reaction could not possibly cause a gluten reaction because gluten was not ingested?  The post does, however, prove useful for many as it shows what does not cause a reaction and what not to be concerned with.  We all know newbies should be concerned about touching doors, avoiding "flour" in gloves and those risky library books.......

 

Honestly?  This forum needs to become re-focused on common sense and known facts about Celiac Disease and how to live successfully with it, not dwelling on Celiac myths that never seem to die. Most Celiacs become more and more sensitive as they progress on the diet but most learn to live well with it and do not worry about the things that are mentioned in this post and the ever popular notion that there is gluten in wine.  So let's re-focus, people, and stop confusing things further.  Sensitivity does not matter here.....all Celiacs need to be vigilant regarding ingestion of gluten so it won't cause intestinal damage. If anyone needs to learn further than what can be offered here, many of the experts on the forum can recommend excellent books by reputable doctors and nutritionists who will teach you the correct way to live gluten free....without fear.  Key words here....without fear. 

 

OK?

[IrishHeart]

It is impossible to be glutened just walking down the bread aisle in the supermarket.

 

SERIOUSLY, how is this possible??? IT ISN'T!!!

 

Does the bread leap out of the package and force itself unto your mouth, you swallow it and ....the autoimmune response starts ???

 

Come on.....let's be reasonable here.

[psawyer]

But, remember even when you call companies to find out if their product is gluten-free...I still get that stupid answer "we don't add gluten to our products"....cross them off your list......so even if the dentist's office called manufacturers, they may very well have gotten that same answer and (because they are not Celiac), they don't understand that that statement means nothing.

No, it doesn't mean "nothing." It means that, like most manufacturers, they do not test their ingredients or finished products for possible accidental contamination, and therefore will not make a gluten-free claim for legal reasons.

[dilettantesteph]

Exam gloves are not powdered with wheat.  They are powdered with corn or calcium carbonate: Open Original Shared Link

Calcium carbonate is not sourced from wheat: Open Original Shared Link

There are certified gluten free corn starch brands available for those concerned about cross contamination.  Corn itself is gluten free and safe for celiacs.  Here is a list: Open Original Shared Link

 

The amount of cross contamination that you would get from the tiny amount of corn starch that you might ingest from the gloves of someone working on your mouth would be very small.  If you are nonetheless concerned the best bet would be to ask for powder free gloves.