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Fatwa CenterTeeth treatment during daytime in Ramadan
Question
I have a visit for a dentist during daytime of Ramadan and I cannot postpone it. Taking into consideration that the treatment could need a local anesthetic and also that the lame spray may penetrate the throat, what is the ruling on fasting?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
In Ramadan, one should postpone his teeth treatment to nighttime if one is able to do so, provided that postponement is not harmful. This is because teeth treatment during the daytime in Ramadan may invalidate his fasting. If he is not able to postpone it, he is blameless. Allah Almighty says (what means): {Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you.} [Quran 5: 6]
On the other hand, an anesthetic injection does not invalidate fasting, since it is neither food nor drink nor something to their effect. Moreover, it does not reach the stomach through the mouth or nose.
As for the penetration of some lame spray to the throat, if the patient most likely believes that a part of the spray could reach his throat and he cannot get it out, then he should not have this treatment process done, unless his illness is of the type that allows him to abandon fasting. Otherwise, if he swallowed something of that, then his fasting is no longer valid and he is required to make up for that day. This is based on the fact that a thing that one believes will most likely happen is treated like something that certainly happens.
But if swallowing such lame spray and similar materials rarely occurs and one exerts his utmost to prevent it from reaching his throat and although something unintentionally reaches there, fasting is still valid. Allah Almighty says (what means): {So fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey.} [Quran 64: 16]
The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Exaggerate while sniffing unless you are fasting.” [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, Ibn Maajah and others]
When one does not exaggerate while sniffing during Wudhoo’ (ablution) and although something of water reaches the throat, fasting is still valid.
Allah Knows best.
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