If certain foods seem to leave you feeling bloated, uncomfortable, tired, or simply “off,” figuring out the cause can be frustrating. Symptoms do not always happen immediately after a meal, and the same food may not affect every person the same way.
One tool used to explore possible dietary patterns is the Food Inflammation Test, often called a FIT test. At 12 Oaks Integrative Dentistry in Austin, food sensitivity testing may be considered as one part of a broader conversation about inflammation, nutrition, oral health, and overall wellness.
But it is important to understand exactly what this type of testing does — and what it does not do.
A FIT test is not the same as a food allergy test, and a laboratory result should not automatically become a list of foods you can never eat again. The information is most useful when it is interpreted alongside your symptoms, medical history, dietary habits, and care from the appropriate healthcare professionals.
What Is a Food Inflammation Test?
A Food Inflammation Test is a blood-based test designed to measure certain immune responses associated with foods and food additives.
The FIT testing used by 12 Oaks is processed through KBMO Diagnostics. Their current FIT 176 panel evaluates responses associated with 176 foods, colorings, and additives.
According to the laboratory, the FIT panel looks at several immune-related markers, including different types of IgG antibodies and immune complexes.
A sample can be collected using a small finger prick or blood draw, depending on the test and collection method being used.
The resulting report provides information that can then be reviewed in the context of your overall health rather than interpreted in isolation.
Food sensitivity testing is one of several tools incorporated into our approach to preventative and family dental care at 12 Oaks.
What Does the FIT 176 Test Measure?
The FIT 176 panel evaluates laboratory responses associated with a broad range of foods and additives.
The foods tested span major food groups and may include:
- Dairy products
- Grains
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Eggs
- Meats
- Fish and shellfish
- Nuts and seeds
- Beans and legumes
- Spices
- Food colorings and additives
The laboratory evaluates immune-related markers associated with these substances and organizes the results into a report.
What the report does not automatically tell us is that every food showing a laboratory response is causing your symptoms.
That distinction matters.
Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance vs. Food Sensitivity
These terms are often used interchangeably online, but they do not mean the same thing.
Food Allergy
A true food allergy involves an immune response and can potentially be serious or life-threatening. Many immediate food allergies involve immunoglobulin E, or IgE.
Symptoms can include hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, vomiting, or anaphylaxis.
A FIT test is not a test for diagnosing food allergy.
If you have experienced symptoms suggesting an allergic reaction, you should be evaluated by an appropriately trained medical professional such as an allergist.
Food Intolerance
A food intolerance generally refers to difficulty digesting or processing a particular food or ingredient.
Lactose intolerance is a familiar example. Someone who does not produce enough lactase may experience gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, or diarrhea after consuming dairy products containing lactose.
Food intolerances do not typically involve the same potentially life-threatening immune response seen with food allergies.
Food Sensitivity
“Food sensitivity” is a broader term that is often used when someone notices recurring symptoms associated with certain foods but the mechanism is not clearly established.
Because there is not one universally accepted laboratory test capable of diagnosing every food sensitivity, results need to be interpreted carefully.
What Does IgG Mean in Food Sensitivity Testing?
This is one of the most important questions to understand before taking a food sensitivity test.
IgG, or immunoglobulin G, is an antibody produced by the immune system. Food-specific IgG can be present simply because your body has been exposed to a particular food.
That means an elevated IgG response does not automatically prove that a food is harmful to you.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology cautions against using food-specific IgG testing by itself to diagnose food allergies or food intolerances.
This is why we believe results need context.
A FIT report may provide information worth discussing, but the laboratory numbers should be considered alongside:
- Your symptoms
- When symptoms occur
- Your normal diet
- Your medical history
- Your oral and periodontal health
- Other appropriate medical testing
- Guidance from your physician, allergist, gastroenterologist, or dietitian when indicated
We do not believe a laboratory report should replace clinical judgment.
What Can a Food Inflammation Test Tell You?
A FIT test can provide data about laboratory-measured immune responses associated with the foods included in the panel.
For some patients, that information may help create a more focused conversation about diet and symptoms.
For example, results may give your healthcare team information to consider when:
- Reviewing recurring digestive complaints
- Looking for patterns between foods and symptoms
- Discussing a carefully planned elimination-and-reintroduction process
- Evaluating nutrition as one part of a broader wellness plan
That is different from saying the test definitively identifies which foods are “bad” for you.
The goal is to generate useful information that can be interpreted thoughtfully, not to turn a complex health issue into a red-and-green food list.
What Can a FIT Test Not Tell You?
A Food Inflammation Test should not be used by itself to:
- Diagnose a food allergy
- Predict whether you could have a life-threatening reaction to a food
- Diagnose celiac disease
- Diagnose irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease
- Diagnose an autoimmune disease
- Prove that a specific food is causing anxiety, depression, fatigue, joint pain, or another symptom
- Determine that a food needs to be permanently removed from your diet
Symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, or fatigue can have many possible causes.
If symptoms are persistent or significant, it is important to work with the appropriate medical provider rather than assuming food sensitivity is the explanation.
Why Are Food Sensitivity Blood Tests Controversial?
Food sensitivity testing has received a lot of attention, but not all tests have the same evidence behind them.
Professional allergy organizations have raised concerns about using food-specific IgG results as a stand-alone diagnosis because IgG can reflect normal exposure and tolerance to foods rather than disease.
At the same time, research into food-related immune responses continues to evolve. Certain newer tests and specific patient populations are being studied to determine where this information may be clinically useful.
The takeaway is not that every food sensitivity test is automatically helpful — or automatically useless.
It is that the specific test, the patient’s symptoms, and how the results are interpreted all matter.
That nuance is important to us at 12 Oaks.
What Happens During a FIT Test?
The collection process is relatively simple.
Depending on the testing method being used, a small blood sample may be collected with a finger prick or blood draw and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The lab then evaluates the sample and prepares a report showing the measured responses to the foods and additives included in the panel.
Turnaround time can vary, so our team will explain what to expect when the test is ordered.
Before testing, follow the preparation instructions provided by the practice or laboratory. Do not intentionally reintroduce a food that has caused a severe reaction unless a qualified medical professional specifically tells you it is safe to do so.
How Should FIT Test Results Be Interpreted?
We believe this is more important than the test itself.
It can be tempting to open a report and immediately eliminate every food that appears elevated.
That approach can create unnecessary dietary restrictions and may make it harder to determine which foods are actually related to symptoms.
Instead, the report should be considered together with questions such as:
- Do you actually experience symptoms after eating this food?
- How often do you eat it?
- When did your symptoms begin?
- Are there other possible explanations for those symptoms?
- Would temporarily eliminating the food provide useful information?
- How will the food eventually be reintroduced and evaluated?
- Could removing several foods create nutritional deficiencies?
A physician or registered dietitian may be particularly important when substantial dietary changes are being considered.
Should You Start an Elimination Diet Based on the Results?
Not automatically.
An elimination diet is a structured process in which certain foods are removed temporarily and then, when appropriate, reintroduced while symptoms are monitored.
This is very different from permanently eliminating a long list of foods because they appeared on a laboratory report.
When dietary changes are appropriate, they should be specific, purposeful, and nutritionally balanced.
People with significant medical conditions, a history of eating disorders, children, pregnant patients, and anyone considering a highly restrictive diet should discuss dietary changes with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Why Would a Dental Practice Discuss Food and Inflammation?
Diet and oral health are closely connected.
What you eat can influence:
- Cavity risk
- Acid exposure
- Saliva production
- Oral bacterial balance
- Gum health
- Nutrient intake
- Healing and tissue health
Inflammation is also central to periodontal disease, which is why we pay attention to the bigger health picture when it is relevant to your dental care.
That does not mean every case of gum inflammation is being caused by food sensitivity.
It means diet is one piece of a much larger picture that can include bacterial load, oral hygiene, genetics, smoking, metabolic health, dry mouth, stress, medications, and other factors.
If gum inflammation is one of your concerns, our guide to the stages of gum disease explains how gingivitis and periodontitis differ.
Food Sensitivity Testing and Whole-Health Dentistry
At 12 Oaks Integrative Dentistry, we believe dental care works best when we understand the person attached to the teeth.
That may mean asking about sleep, airway health, medical conditions, medications, stress, nutrition, inflammation, or other factors that can affect what we see in the mouth.
Food sensitivity testing is one potential source of information within that larger evaluation.
It is not meant to replace your physician, gastroenterologist, allergist, or registered dietitian.
Instead, when testing is appropriate, our goal is to help connect the information we gather with the broader picture of your health.
This philosophy also guides how we use salivary bacteria testing and other individualized preventive tools.
You can learn more about the connection between oral and whole-body health in our guide to Complete Health Dentistry.
Food Inflammation Testing in Austin at 12 Oaks
12 Oaks Integrative Dentistry offers food sensitivity testing as one component of our broader preventive and integrative approach.
If a FIT test is being considered, we want you to understand:
- Why the test is being discussed
- What the laboratory measures
- What the results may help us explore
- What the test cannot diagnose
- Whether another healthcare provider should be involved
- How any dietary changes will be approached safely and thoughtfully
We believe good healthcare should give you more clarity, not more fear around food.
Learn more about food sensitivity testing and preventive care at 12 Oaks.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Food Inflammation Test
What is a FIT test?
A Food Inflammation Test, or FIT test, is a blood-based laboratory test that evaluates certain immune responses associated with foods and additives. The FIT 176 panel used by KBMO evaluates 176 different foods, colorings, and additives.
Is the FIT test the same as an allergy test?
No. Food allergies and food sensitivities are not the same thing. A FIT test should not be used to diagnose a food allergy. People with symptoms of a possible allergy should be evaluated by an appropriate medical professional, such as an allergist.
Does the FIT test measure IgG?
Yes. KBMO’s FIT testing includes measurements involving IgG and other immune-related markers. However, the presence of food-specific IgG alone does not prove that a food is causing symptoms, so results require careful interpretation.
How is a Food Inflammation Test performed?
The test uses a small blood sample, which may be collected by finger prick or blood draw depending on the panel and collection method.
How many foods does the FIT test check?
The FIT 176 panel evaluates 176 foods, food colorings, and additives across multiple food groups.
Can a FIT test tell me exactly what foods to stop eating?
No. Results should not automatically be treated as a permanent avoidance list. They need to be considered alongside your symptoms, medical history, diet, and other clinical information.
Can food sensitivity testing diagnose IBS?
No. Irritable bowel syndrome is a medical diagnosis. If you have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, you should discuss them with your physician or gastroenterologist.
Can a food sensitivity cause gum inflammation?
Gum inflammation has many possible contributing factors, with bacterial plaque and periodontal disease being among the most important. Diet and systemic health can influence inflammation, but a food sensitivity test cannot by itself determine the cause of gum inflammation.
Should I eliminate foods before taking the test?
Follow the preparation instructions provided by the laboratory and your healthcare team. Never intentionally consume a food that has caused a serious or allergic reaction simply for the purpose of testing unless an appropriate medical professional has specifically instructed you to do so.
Is a Food Inflammation Test Right for You?
There is no single laboratory test that can explain every digestive symptom, inflammatory complaint, or reaction to food.
For some patients, FIT testing may provide additional information worth considering as part of a larger health evaluation.
For others, a different evaluation — such as testing for a true food allergy, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or a gastrointestinal condition — may be much more appropriate.
The important question is not simply:
“Which foods showed up on my test?”
It is:
“Does this information fit my symptoms, and will it help us make a better decision about my health?”
That is the kind of conversation we believe testing should support.
If you would like to discuss food sensitivity testing as part of your preventive or whole-health dental care, contact 12 Oaks Integrative Dentistry in Austin.
