For those with celiac disease there is the constant label reading that keeps them healthy. Learning to read every label and spot the potential hidden sources of gluten is a necessary part of life, but what about non- food items? There are many non-food items that contain gluten, and your sensitivity to gluten and the type of product will determine whether you need to avoid that item or not.

There is a considerable amount of debate as to whether items that are not ingested that contain gluten need to be avoided. This becomes a very individual choice based on your preference and sensitivity. There are those that are so sensitive to gluten products that even soaps and shampoos can cause them to react and for these people it only makes sense to avoid these products. For others unless the product is ingested it is usually not a concern.

For children you have to take into account the fingers going into the mouth, or wiping their face with an arm as they are prone to do. It becomes much easier to for things such as shampoo or soap to be ingested, so for young children it is probably safest to simply avoid anything with gluten in it.

There are a number of other non- food items that you would not think to look for gluten in that you should be on the lookout for. The glue on stamps and sticky labels very often contain gluten so be sure to use self stick stamps and wash your hands thoroughly after use. Even the self stick stamps can contain gluten but since they do not enter your mouth there is much less chance of the adhesive being ingested.

Many medications and vitamins have gluten in them so be sure to talk to your pharmacist and doctor for gluten free options. If need be you can call the manufacturers to find out if their products are gluten free. Many vitamin companies now list if their vitamins are gluten free so be on the lookout for vitamins with the gluten free label.

Toothpaste, mouthwash, lipstick, and most cosmetics can contain gluten so you will need to look around for gluten free alternatives to these products. There are a number of lists online that can help you find gluten free products that you can purchase, and you can always call a manufacturer, they are used to these types of questions and should have an answer readily available for you.