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While one might understand the basics of living gluten-free (no wheat, barley, rye, etc.), there are always some things outside the realm of food that you might want to remain wary of. And before we begin, just a brief reminder: I am by no means a medical professional, so any deterring I might do is based off of advice that I have heard either from fellow gluten-freers or personal doctors. I do not by any means have any sort of scientific degree. All that said, let's begin!
Dentistry
Even though I've been going to the same dental technician and orthodontist for years, it is always good to ask questions concerning toothpaste, etc. However, the most important things to inquire on are concerning orthodontia. The pink stuff used to make teeth molds is always available for an inspection, but most surprisingly, the thing I would caution against the most is a retainer. In my case, when I was released from the holds of an expander and the numerous mechanical devices that go into teeth straightening, I was informed by my orthodontist (who is incredible, by the way. He is always extremely aware of my situation, asking questions, making sure I'm safe) that many of the "typical" retainers actually contain barley. It was because of this that I was given permanent retainers instead of the removable ones. While this might not hold true for all retainers, I would suggest asking your orthodontist (if you have one) to possibly dig a little deeper.
Straws??
This is the final one on our list today, and I will say that this one came as an ABSOLUTE shock! It was only mere days ago that my mom turned to me and said: "I've been reading that some cafés may put gluten in their straws." This was rather boggling to me, for why would straws even need gluten in their composition. Nevertheless, it has apparently been a recently circulating rumor, and after a quick Google search, it turns out that there are certain straws made from the stalks of wheat after the grain is harvested. While the gluten is often removed, there can still be cross contamination. And just a reminder on this one: I haven't heard it confirmed by a trustworthy source, but the last time I swung by Starbucks to grab a lemonade, I did forfeit the straw. Nothing is set in stone, nothing is confirmed, and there will certainly be no hard feelings towards organizations if this tidbit turns out to be true.
All right, that's it for today. I hope this was informative and eye-opening but not anxiety provoking. I never want any of my material to be potentially harmful.
Stay safe! Stay awesome.
Until next time,
Genuine GF