Mouthwashes are made to rinse your mouth and spit immediately after, not swallowed. We talked to Icon Dental Center, Everette to find out what would happen if you swallow a mouth rinse.
Swallowing a mouthwash is not common amongst people, but if somehow, a young individual in your home did swallow a small amount of the mouthwash made of fluoride or any other ingredients, you should not panic. But it is recommended that you avoid it in the future by taking these important steps.
Pay Attention When Rinsing
- You can easily end up swallowing a mouth rinse if you are distracted. Make sure that you are alone in the bathroom with minimal distractions when rinsing your mouth. Distractions are the number one cause for adult people swallowing a rinse accidentally.
Supervise Your Children
- If you have young children at home, do not let them use a mouthwash without you directly supervising this activity. Dentists at Icon Dental Center, Seattle recommend that children between the ages of 6 and 12 should be supervised by an adult when they are rinsing their mouth to prevent accidental or volunteer swallowing.
If you are unable to supervise your children, invest in a mouthwash that comes with a child-resistant cap to help you out. Children who are younger than 6 years usually have trouble with the swallowing reflex, so it is recommended that they do not use it altogether.
Read the Label of the Product
- If you accidentally swallow a mouth wash, check the label to see if there are any potential poisonous ingredients used in the mouthwash. These are usually made with ethanol or fluoride.Â
Mouthwash, when excessively swallowed, can produce severe symptoms like drowsiness, dizziness, trouble in breathing, or in severe cases, coma or convulsions.Â
If you suspect a severe case of mouthwash swallowing incident, head to the emergency room immediately and bring the bottle with you. At Icon Dental Center, our doors are always open for all emergency dental care. Make sure to call us before coming in so we can arrange an emergency appointment for you.Â