Each type of analysis requires certain preliminary preparation, since some external or internal factors may influence the results of the study. Whether you can brush your teeth before donating blood or not depends on the type of diagnosis. Usually, before taking the tests, the doctor who gives the referral tells you how to properly prepare, and these rules must be followed. Otherwise, if you neglect the recommendations, the indicators will be incorrect.
Read our article about which tests you can brush your teeth and which ones you can’t.
PREPARATION FOR BLOOD TESTS
GENERAL RULES:
- For most studies, it is recommended to donate blood in the morning, from 8 to 11 o’clock, on an empty stomach (at least 8 hours must pass between the last meal and blood collection, you can drink water as usual), on the eve of the study, have a light dinner with limited intake of fatty foods. food. For tests for infections and emergency studies, it is acceptable to donate blood 4-6 hours after the last meal.
- On the eve of the study (within 24 hours), avoid alcohol, intense physical activity, take medications (in consultation with your doctor), and eliminate smoking on the day before the study.
- When monitoring laboratory parameters over time, it is recommended to conduct repeated tests under the same conditions - in the same laboratory, donate blood at the same time of day, etc.
- Blood for research must be donated before starting to take medications or no earlier than 10–14 days after their discontinuation. To assess the control of the effectiveness of treatment with any drugs, a study should be conducted 7-14 days after the last dose of the drug.
- If on the day of a blood test for hormones an ultrasound is to be performed, then FIRST , and then an ultrasound is performed.
Before which tests you shouldn’t brush your teeth, and before which you can?
In most cases, preliminary preparation is required before taking tests, especially if we are talking about those studies where it is necessary to determine the amount of certain elements in the patient’s body.
Toothpastes contain various components that can distort indicators. For example, sugar increases glucose levels, and foaming agents can change the protein composition. These components are absorbed into the mucous membranes and enter the general bloodstream, which leads to changes in blood parameters. That is why you cannot brush your teeth when donating blood for sugar, urea or glucose.
If biomaterial is to be examined to determine hormones, allergens and other elements, as a rule, there are no restrictions on oral hygiene. But if you have any doubts about whether you can brush your teeth before donating blood before a certain type of test, it is better to consult with your doctor
PREPARATION FOR URINE STUDIES
GENERAL RULES:
- On the eve of the study, it is recommended to obtain a sterile urine container from the Clinic office, or purchase it at a pharmacy.
- 10-12 hours before the test it is not recommended to consume: alcohol, spicy and salty foods, as well as foods that change the color of urine (beets, carrots).
- If possible, avoid taking diuretics.
- After cystoscopy, a urine test can be prescribed no earlier than 5-7 days later.
- Women are not recommended to take a urine test during menstruation.
- The patient collects urine independently (with the exception of children and seriously ill patients).
- Before taking the test, perform a thorough toileting of the external genitalia:
- in women, use a cotton swab moistened with warm soapy water to clean the external genitalia (treating the labia by moving the swab in front and downwards); Dry with a clean cloth.
- in men - the external opening of the urethra is cleaned with warm water and soap, then washed with warm water and dried with a clean napkin.
Oral hygiene rules without using toothpaste
People are accustomed to brushing their teeth from an early age, and recently both advertising and newfangled medical TV shows, forums and blogs have been aimed at improving this process.
New electric multifunctional brushes for children and adults are being invented, toothpastes with incredible composition and effect are being advertised.
But one point is missed here - brushing your teeth at night is important.
It is the “overnight” leftover food that harms dental health; the morning procedure is more likely to eliminate psychological discomfort (odor, plaque, etc.).
Therefore, by brushing your teeth thoroughly before going to bed, in the morning (if required by the doctor before donating blood), you can do without toothpaste.
You should know! What can replace morning brushing of teeth:
- In the evening, on the eve of the morning blood test, you should thoroughly brush not only your teeth, but also your tongue, gums and the inside of your cheeks. It is in these places that a huge number of microbes accumulate.
- In the morning , you need to brush your teeth and tongue without toothpaste to remove plaque and freshen your mouth.
- Be sure to rinse your mouth with water or a special solution (10 - 12 drops of hydrogen peroxide per 250 grams of warm water). Rinsing will remove bad breath and neutralize bacteria that appeared at night.
It is prohibited before taking blood tests .
This is explained by the fact that, in addition to sugar, they contain many harmful synthetic compounds, dyes and flavors that can affect the results of the analysis.
General urine analysis
For general analysis, use the first morning portion of urine (the previous urination should be no later than 2 am). Toilet the external genitalia. For men, when urinating, completely pull back the skin fold and release the external opening of the urethra. For women, spread the labia. Pour the first few milliliters of urine into the toilet. Collect the entire portion of morning urine in a dry, clean container while urinating freely. Pour 40-50 milliliters of the total volume of urine into a special container and close the lid tightly. You cannot take urine from a vessel or potty. The collected urine should be immediately delivered to the laboratory. Urine can be stored in the refrigerator (at +2° +4° C), but not more than 1.5 hours.
Smear in women
At least 36 hours must pass after the last sexual intercourse.
If you were treated with antibiotics, you must first complete the course of treatment, and then wait at least 3 weeks before taking the test.
You cannot take a smear test if women are menstruating or have uterine bleeding.
Before taking a smear, you should not wash yourself, much less use antibacterial soap.
You should not urinate for at least 3 hours before the test. The rule applies to both women and men.
If women have not yet completed treatment, they are taking medications, inserting vaginal suppositories, they must tell the doctor about this, then they cannot take a smear.
PREPARATION FOR FECAL STUDIES
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
Feces should be obtained without the use of enemas or laxatives. Collect 1-2 teaspoons of feces in a special container. Deliver to the laboratory within 3 hours after collection.
Biochemical analysis of stool
Take 2-4 g (1 teaspoon) of feces into a separate container and deliver it to the laboratory within 3 hours. Be sure to indicate the type of stool (diarrhea, constipation, normal, stool with laxatives).
Examination of feces for occult blood
Three days before the test, it is necessary to exclude meat, liver, blood sausage and all foods containing iron (apples, bell peppers, spinach, white beans, green onions, cucumbers) from the diet. Collect 1-2 teaspoons of feces in a special container. Deliver to the laboratory within 3 hours after collection.
Scraping for enterobiasis
On the eve of the study, it is recommended to obtain a special tube with a probe for collecting biomaterial from the Clinic office. For this study, a scraping is taken from the perianal folds (around the anus) by the patient himself. In the morning (without getting out of bed), before performing hygiene procedures and using the toilet, move the probe in a circular motion around the anus. Place the probe in a special tube. Deliver to the laboratory within 2 hours after collection.
Blood test for donation
Stay up to date! In any donor center, after registration, a step-by-step examination of the blood of a potential donor is carried out:
- in the laboratory, material is taken from a finger to determine the blood type, Rh factor and the amount of hemoglobin;
- a transfusiologist, as a result of an examination, based on capillary examination, gives permission for donation;
- All donated blood is examined for the presence of HIV infection, and is also tested for all types of hepatitis and syphilis.
Before the donation , it is mandatory to drink sweet tea with cookies or other baked goods to ensure the donor’s normal well-being.
Therefore, the issue of prohibiting brushing teeth is not discussed; the hygiene procedure is not an obstacle to this manipulation.
PREPARATION FOR SMUTUM STUDIES
Clinical sputum analysis
It is recommended to collect sputum for general clinical examination in the morning and on an empty stomach during a coughing attack in a special container. In order to mechanically remove food debris and desquamated epithelium, before coughing, the oral cavity is sanitized - brush your teeth, rinse your mouth and throat with boiled water. If sputum is poorly separated, take expectorants and warm drinks the day before.
Sputum culture
Follow the preparation rules for collecting sputum for culture. Collect sputum in a sterile container and deliver to the laboratory within 1 hour.
The procedure for donating blood for analysis
Note! Not a single examination, surgery, x-ray, appointment or even physical procedure is complete without a blood test.
This simple procedure allows a specialist to quickly assess the patient’s condition and identify possible deviations, even without general clinical signs of the disease.
Analysis of the material
can be venous or capillary , depending on the purpose of the study (sugar content, the amount of certain hormones, the presence of infections, pathologies and inflammatory processes, etc.).
PREPARATION FOR SEMEN STUDIES
GENERAL RULES WHEN PREPARING FOR SEMEN RESEARCH
The sperm is collected in a special sterile container. It is prohibited to use a condom to collect sperm (substances used in the production of condoms affect sperm motility). Before the study, sexual abstinence is required for 3 to 7 days (optimally 4-5 days after the last ejaculation). During this period, you should not take alcohol, take medications, visit a bathhouse or sauna, be exposed to UHF, or become hypothermic. When repeating the study, it is advisable to adhere, if possible, to the same periods of abstinence for a correct assessment of the results obtained over time. In the morning after sleep, you need to urinate and thoroughly clean the external opening of the urethra with warm water and soap. Collect biomaterial by masturbation, without touching the walls of the container. For research, collect the entire volume of isolated sperm.
Sperm culture (with determination of sensitivity to antibiotics)
Sperm for analysis is collected before a course of antibiotics or 2-3 weeks after it.
Rules for collecting stool
Before submitting the material (3-4 days before), you must stop taking medications (laxatives, castor and petroleum jelly, rectal suppositories). Stool obtained after an enema or barium intake (during X-ray examination) is not allowed for examination.
Before collecting the test, urinate in the toilet. Next, by natural defecation, collect the stool in a bedpan (previously washed and dried). Feces are collected in a clean, disposable container, no more than 1/3 of its volume.
The material must be delivered to the laboratory within 3 hours from the moment the analysis is collected. During this period, it is advisable to store the analysis in the cold (+2...+8C), avoiding freezing.
PREPARATION FOR HAIR AND NAILS EXAMINATION
Mineral Metabolism Analysis
Hair: Cut hair at the root from several “points” of the head - occipital part, temporal, parietal, frontal (dyed hair must be analyzed no earlier than two weeks after dyeing). Nails: For examination, cut off nails from all fingers (10 nails in total). Nails should not be varnished. The nails are placed in a clean plastic container.
Examination of nail plates for fungi: Suspicious areas of the nail (from 1-2 nail plates) are cut off and placed in a clean plastic container or test tube.
Throat swab
It is necessary to refuse mouthwash solutions and throat sprays because they kill most of the microbes found in the mucous membrane of the pharynx and reduce their numbers to a minimum. As a result, the analysis, of course, will not show the true number of microbes in the mucous membrane and the bacteria that can cause or have already caused the disease will not be detected in the smear. It is advisable not to eat or drink at all on the day of the test, and if possible, it is better to refuse even a glass of water or a mug of coffee in the morning after waking up. Thus, bacteria need to be given free rein and allowed to multiply freely in the mucous membrane for 2-3 days without exposing them to various antibacterial agents, and only then can the real picture be seen.
