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Can kissing be a health hazardforsomeone living gluten-free? While there is no scientific proof about kissing as a cross-contact risk, there is an abundance of anecdotal evidence–including stories shared online–from celiac patients who claim to have been “glutened” through kissing.We’ve compiled some ways kissing could expose you to gluten, even in trace amounts.Check out ourextratipsforaddressinggluten-free safetywhen you’re on a date and anticipating akiss.
1. Yes, you could get “glutened” from a kiss.
“You are what you eat” couldn’t be a more appropriatephrasewhen you’re talking about kissing someone who isn’t gluten-free. If someone eats or drinksanything containinggluten,including candy or gum,gluten particlescouldremain in their mouths for hours afterward.Kissing someone who has gluten particles in their mouth could transfer gluten intoyoursandcause a reaction. Ityou’ve been diagnosed with celiac diseaseand are highly sensitive to even trace amounts of gluten, you maywant totake a few extra steps before locking lips.
2. Watch out for beer drinkers.
Based on anecdotes online, beer drinkersseemto be mentioned often as the culpritsguilty oftransferringglutenthrougha kiss.If you areparticularlyreactive to gluten, kissing someone who is drinking beer could be problematic.
Dating Tip: Let your date know in advance of ordering drinks or food thatyouaregluten-free for health reasons. Ask themif they’d be willing to indulge inan alternative adult beverage thatdoesn’t contain gluten.Present them with a myriad of suggestions such as cider, distilled spirits,spiked seltzersor wine – anything that you’ve safely consumed in the past.Know what brands are gluten-free in advance and ask by name, or check out theGFCO’s certified gluten-free productdirectory.
3. Practice “SafeKissing”with gluten-free hygiene.
If your date eats or drinks something that contains gluten, encourage them to engage ina careful routine ofcleaning their mouth withgluten-free toothpaste,mouthwash, and flosstowash away the majorityof glutenparticlesin their mouth.This mouth hygiene routineis not a practice that would help you keep gluten at bayif youatesomethingcontaining gluten.Did you practice unsafe kissing? You could try to wash out your mouth, but chances are you’ve already swallowed some gluten particles. Be pro-active withSafeKissing.
Dating Tip: Carry toothpaste, mouthwash and floss with you on your dates.Hopefully, you’ve introduced your gluten-free status early on in the date and given the other person plenty of options for enjoying gluten-free foods and drinks. But if you haven’t – or they haven’tbeen willing to accommodate your health needs(red flag?),you could whip out your handy mouth hygiene kit after a meal if you anticipate a kiss could be imminent.Awkward, yes, but better safe than sorry, right?
4. Beware ofbeardsand moustaches.
No amount of tooth brushing, rinsing,or flossing will address facial hair.Thosemanlybeards and moustachescan trap gluten particles thatcoulddropinto your mouth during that passionate kiss. Yeah, not soappealing.
Dating Tip: We aren’t going to recommend that you carry a beard comb on your date (awkward). You could ask your date to wash their face after a meal (also awkward).If asking is too awkward or they’re unwilling to wash their face and comb their beard, we’d advise you skip the kiss this time.
5. Anything applied to the face or mouth could be an issue for some.
Makeup, topical creams,andlip gloss or lipstick could potentiallybe ingestedwhen kissingand cause an issue.If anythingtouchesyour skinandcauses aglutenreaction,it ismost likely because you got it in your mouth,ingested it,ortouchedbroken skin. The same could happen ifthose products are present on your date’s face or mouth.The chances of any significant amount of gluten transferring from makeup or face creams are less likely since they would already be in trace amounts when applied and could wear off over time.
Forlip gloss or lipstick,the common act of reapplyingafter a meal or close to kissing timeshould not be an issue, but use yourbestjudgmentwhen going in for thatkiss. While there is no data on the gluten content in lipsticks, even those made with ingredients derived from gluten-containinggrainscontainsuch small amounts of gluten as to be insignificant.
Dating Tip:It’s a lot to ask your date to wash their entire face and remove their makeupbefore a kiss.The sooner you have the gluten-free talk during a date, the better. If your date is wearing lipstick or gloss,mention lip products along with problematic food and drinks.By the end of a meal,lipstick or lip gloss will most likely be wiped away.You couldaskyour datenot toreapplylip productswhenthey go to powder their nose, but as we said, non-gluten-free lip product should not be an issue unless you prefer to err on the side of extra caution.
6. Watch out for sloppy eaters.
Gluten particlesfrom food can bepresent on skinandbe ingested, causinga reaction.
Mouth-to-mouth kissingisn’t the only way gluten can transfer to a person with a gluten sensitivity.A simple peck on someone’s cheek can bea hazardif there are gluten particles on their face.Parents with celiac disease kissing their children who are not gluten-free can be an issue just as kids kissing non-gluten-free parents can transfer gluten. Face washing with soap or a preferred face cleanser and water can get rid of Gluten Face.A safe, gluten-free hygiene practice for the whole family includes brushing, rinsing,and flossing after every mealor snack. Your teeth – and gluten-free family members – will thank you.
7. If you can taste it, be ready for a reaction.
If you can taste thegluten-containingfood, drink,or topical product after a kiss, chances are you’ve beenglutened.Even if you don’t taste it, if you haven’t followed precautions and aren’t diligently practicing Safe Kissing, the risks of gluten exposure are there.Don’t stress prematurely, but be aware andbeprepared.
Living gluten-free comes with its challenges. Having open and honest conversations with your non-gluten-freefamily members, friends, acquaintances, lovers, partners,and dates can reduce risks of gettingglutenedfrom a kiss.Hopefully,byadoptingthe preventative steps above,you’ll be able to smoochtotallystress-free.
IMPORTANT:
The information on this website is for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare team when considering this information.
