Does a dental anaesthetic injection break the fast?
In its Resolution 93, the OIC International Islamic Fiqh Academy listed skin, muscle and vein injections that are not nutritive among things that do not invalidate the fast, and tooth removal and tooth cleaning provided nothing is swallowed. It does not name dental anaesthetic specifically, so ask a qualified scholar about your situation. At Creative Arts in Dubai, suction and spitting help you avoid swallowing water or blood during treatment.
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What has a recognised fiqh body said about dental treatment while fasting?
The most widely cited collective position on medical treatment during the fast is Resolution No. 93 (1/10) of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), adopted at its tenth session in Jeddah in 1997. Among the matters it listed as not invalidating the fast are:
- subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous injections, excluding drips and injections of nutritive fluids;
- tooth removal, and cleaning the teeth with a toothpick, toothbrush or miswak, provided nothing is swallowed;
- mouthwash, gargling and mouth sprays, provided nothing is swallowed.
The same resolution also recommended that doctors advise patients to postpone such treatments until after breaking the fast when the delay causes no harm to their health. That is a sensible starting point for planning, and it matches what most dentists would suggest anyway for routine care.
Two limits are worth knowing. First, the resolution does not mention a dental anaesthetic injection by name; a dental injection is a small, non-nutritive injection into the tissues inside the mouth, and how the wording applies to it is a question for a scholar, not for your dentist. Second, other scholars and fatwa bodies may phrase things differently. Creative Arts does not issue religious rulings; this page reports what the Academy resolved and explains the practical dental side.
Injections, extraction, cleaning and mouthwash: what was resolved and what helps
The middle column summarises the Academy's resolution. The right-hand column is practical dental advice, not a ruling. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.
| Situation | What the resolution says | What helps in the dental chair |
|---|---|---|
| Local anaesthetic injection | Not named; injections that are not nutritive are listed among things that do not invalidate the fast | Any bitter taste from the solution can be spat out; ask the dentist to pause whenever you need to |
| Tooth extraction | Tooth removal is listed, provided nothing is swallowed | Bite firmly on the gauze afterwards and spit out blood rather than swallowing it |
| Scaling and cleaning | Cleaning the teeth is listed, provided nothing is swallowed | Suction removes the water spray continuously; you can sit up to spit at any point |
| Fillings and root canal treatment | Tooth removal and cleaning are listed; ask a scholar how this applies to drilling and fillings | Water spray is removed by suction, and you can pause to spit |
| Mouthwash or rinsing | Listed, provided nothing is swallowed | Rinse and spit fully; a rinse is rarely essential during fasting hours |
| Sedation through a drip, or general anaesthesia | Drips and nutritive fluids are excluded from the injection item | These need medical fasting anyway; discuss timing with your dentist and a scholar |
Source: International Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC), Resolution No. 93 (1/10), 1997. Creative Arts does not issue religious rulings.
What does a dental local anaesthetic actually put into your body?
A dental local anaesthetic is a small volume of numbing solution injected into the gum or the inside of the cheek, next to the tooth being treated. It works where it is placed, by blocking the nerves that carry pain from that area for a few hours. It is not food or drink, it is not a nutritive fluid and it is not given into the stomach. Most dental treatment, from fillings to extractions, is done under local anaesthetic alone.
What you may notice is a bitter or salty taste if a little of the solution reaches the mouth. Simply spit it out. Afterwards the lip, cheek or tongue stays numb for some time; the NHS notes that soreness at the injection site or tingling as the anaesthetic wears off usually settles within minutes or hours, and that you should take care not to bite or burn the numb area. Our guide to how long dental numbness lasts explains what is normal.
If injections themselves worry you, that is worth mentioning when you book; being afraid of dental injections explains what can make them easier.
How do you avoid swallowing water or blood during treatment?
The condition in the resolution, that nothing is swallowed, is something the dental team can help with. In practice:
- Tell us you are fasting when you book and again in the chair, so the team keeps suction close and offers breaks to spit.
- Suction works throughout scaling, fillings and root canal treatment to remove the water spray as it is produced.
- Raise a hand to pause at any time. Sitting up for a moment to spit is always fine.
- After an extraction, bite firmly on the gauze for the time you are told and spit out any blood-stained saliva gently. Do not rinse vigorously on the first day, because it can disturb the clot; our guide to bleeding after a tooth extraction explains what is normal.
- Toothpaste and polishing paste can be spat out and wiped away; ask for a final rinse with suction rather than a cup if you prefer.
We explain the dentistry; scholars answer the ruling
Creative Arts does not give religious rulings. We can tell you exactly what a procedure involves, what touches the mouth and throat, and how long it takes, so you can ask a qualified scholar an informed question and plan with confidence.
Which dental treatments can wait until after iftar, and which should not?
Most routine care can simply be timed around the fast. Check-ups, cleaning, whitening and cosmetic treatment can wait or be booked later in the day; Creative Arts is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, so ask which appointment times suit you around iftar. The Academy's own recommendation, to postpone treatment when delay causes no harm, supports this.
Some problems should not wait, fasting or not:
- Severe or throbbing toothache, especially pain that keeps you awake.
- Swelling of the gum or face, or a bad taste with a tender tooth, which can mean an abscess. See a swollen face from a tooth infection.
- A broken tooth with pain, or a tooth knocked loose or out.
- Bleeding after an extraction that does not slow with firm pressure.
Go to a hospital emergency department straight away for facial swelling with fever, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading towards the eye or neck, bleeding you cannot control, or a head or face injury. Questions about the concessions for illness are for a scholar; your health comes first in the dental decision.
Need a filling, extraction or check-up during Ramadan? Our general dentists in Dubai will explain what each step involves and help you choose a time around your fast.
See general dentistryHow should you plan pain relief and medicines around the fast?
Pain relief and antibiotics taken by mouth cannot be fitted into fasting hours, so timing matters more than usual:
- Book procedures that may leave you sore, such as an extraction, so that the numbness wears off close to iftar. You can then eat soft food and take pain relief, as directed on the label or by your pharmacist or doctor.
- If you are prescribed antibiotics, ask the dentist or pharmacist how to space the doses between iftar and suhoor. Do not skip doses or stop the course early.
- If you have diabetes or another medical condition, or take regular medicines, follow your doctor's advice on fasting and tell the dentist before treatment.
- Drink enough water between iftar and suhoor. A dry mouth makes a sore socket feel worse and breath stronger; see oral hygiene while fasting.
- Avoid smoking or shisha after iftar in the days after an extraction, because it raises the risk of a painful dry socket; read smoking after tooth extraction.
For the wider question of which treatments to schedule before, during or after Ramadan, see our guide to dental treatment in Ramadan.
Can you brush your teeth and use toothpaste while fasting?
The Academy's resolution lists cleaning the teeth with a toothbrush or miswak among things that do not invalidate the fast, provided nothing is swallowed. Some people prefer to brush with fluoride toothpaste after iftar and after suhoor, and to use a miswak or a dry brush during the day; how you apply the resolution is a matter for you and your scholar.
From a dental point of view, the two most useful brushes of the day in Ramadan are the one after suhoor and the one before you sleep. Use a fluoride toothpaste, spit out the excess and do not rinse it away. Our guide to oral hygiene while fasting covers fasting breath, tongue cleaning and the miswak in detail.