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Essentially, if a person’s mouth contains any left-over gluten, you’ll be ingesting a bit of it too.
Is Gluten From Kissing Really Enough to Make You Sick?
Even tasting the gluten-containing food, drink or makeup on your significant other’s lips, you can expect to have a reaction. You’re still at risk if your partner ate, drank, or used a gluten-containing substance within the last several hours whether you taste it or not.
This isn’t just an issue for kissing on the lips—if you plan on kissing someone’s face or neck (or even just brushing your lips across their cheek), you may want to ask if they are wearing makeup or foundation. Lots of makeup, not just lipstick and foundation, contains gluten.If you can’t be sure you aren’t exposing yourself to gluten, don’t risk it.
Minimizing Your Risk of Secondhand Gluten Exposure
Before any kissing takes place, your partner should use gluten-free floss, brush teeth with agluten-free toothpastethen rinse well with a gluten-free mouthwash. If it’s a man who’s eating gluten and he has facial hair, he’ll need to wash and comb his facial hair before kissing you, since that’s another place crumbs and traces of gluten can lurk. If your partner is a woman and she uses gluten-containing makeup, she’ll need to wash her face thoroughly.
In addition to the steps above, time also helps. If you can, try and delay any intimacy for a few hours following gluten-filled foods or drinks.
If you are sensitive to gluten, it’s important to explain to your partner the potential ramifications of eating gluten, even trace amounts. If your partner or potential partner won’t take the steps necessary to keep you from getting sick, they might not be the best person for you and your health.
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cohen IS, Day AS, Shaoul R.Gluten in Celiac Disease-More or Less?Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2019;10(1):e0007. doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10360Verma AK, Lionetti E, Gatti S, Franceschini E, Catassi GN, Catassi C.Contribution of oral hygiene and cosmetics on contamination of gluten-free diet: do celiac customers need to worry about?Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition. 2019;68(1):26-29. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000002129
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cohen IS, Day AS, Shaoul R.Gluten in Celiac Disease-More or Less?Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2019;10(1):e0007. doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10360Verma AK, Lionetti E, Gatti S, Franceschini E, Catassi GN, Catassi C.Contribution of oral hygiene and cosmetics on contamination of gluten-free diet: do celiac customers need to worry about?Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition. 2019;68(1):26-29. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000002129
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cohen IS, Day AS, Shaoul R.Gluten in Celiac Disease-More or Less?Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2019;10(1):e0007. doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10360Verma AK, Lionetti E, Gatti S, Franceschini E, Catassi GN, Catassi C.Contribution of oral hygiene and cosmetics on contamination of gluten-free diet: do celiac customers need to worry about?Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition. 2019;68(1):26-29. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000002129
Cohen IS, Day AS, Shaoul R.Gluten in Celiac Disease-More or Less?Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2019;10(1):e0007. doi:10.5041/RMMJ.10360
Verma AK, Lionetti E, Gatti S, Franceschini E, Catassi GN, Catassi C.Contribution of oral hygiene and cosmetics on contamination of gluten-free diet: do celiac customers need to worry about?Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition. 2019;68(1):26-29. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000002129
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