What to Do if Your Child Swallowed Mouthwash?

Nowadays, there is a great selection of natural and alcohol-free mouthwashes for kids, but they can still act harmfully if ingested in large amounts. They are not meant to be swallowed in the first place, so it is advised to avoid giving the mouthwash to a child that’s under the age of 6. It is simply hard to explain to them the procedure and the other thing is that their swallowing reflex is still under-developed. 

But we all know that mistakes happen and that the kids can have fun in the strangest ways. Anyhow, you should avoid panicking to calmly assess the situation and figure out what’s the next step. Keep in mind that in most cases, swallowing a small amount of mouthwash is still harmless. 

Try to Find Out the Ingested Amount

Like said, small amounts are usually harmless and will not cause any serious problems. But when it comes to larger ones, the negative side effects are possible and will vary from case to case. Even though you selected an alcohol-free product, the large amount of fluoride that is an active component of mouthwash may be poisonous. If you are unsure about the amount that’s missing from the bottle, the next step to take is checking the product label. 

What’s on The Label?

No matter that the mouthwash is not intended to be swallowed, its ingredients are very important. Besides the alcohol which is harmless for children, make sure that the kid’s mouthwash you select doesn’t contain any preservatives, artificial dyes, and of course, sweeteners. All of the above can be damaging to your child’s health if ingested in large amounts. 

The trusted companies are keeping the ingredients list transparent, especially when it comes to the product for the kids, so you can always be familiar with the exact substances included. Also, when the mouthwash has organic and natural ingredients alongside fluoride, it will contribute to keeping the teeth healthy, strong, and protected.  

In case your child gets a hand of an alcohol mouthwash or any that has some potentially toxic ingredients, the symptoms will include nausea, trouble breathing, and dizziness. In the most severe cases, a child will have convulsions or go into a coma. 

Call the Right Number

If you are beginning to feel restless or the aforementioned symptoms developed, the best thing to do is to immediately call the toll-free Poison HelpLine 1-800-222-1222 and ask for professional assistance. Based on the product’s label, the operator will help you determine the next adequate step. No matter if you are told to head to the emergency room directly or stay at home, you should always keep monitoring the symptoms and remember as many details as possible. 

As we said, most children just ingest a small amount of their mouthwash, but you should always stay close to them and avoid any potential inconveniences. 

Recommended Precautions 

It is recommended that you keep your 6 to 12-year-old kid supervised when they do the mouthwash, so you can make sure that they are doing it in the right manner. They will need a lot of effort in the beginning, so make sure that the area isn’t too noisy or crowded. For your children to develop this healthy routine, you will need to carefully guide them step by step. 

The first one is to practice swishing and spitting with pure water. This is how they can make mistakes without any trouble, but still realize that every time they swallow the water, it simply doesn’t feel right. 

Once they are ready to switch to the real tasty bubbly or fruity mouthwash, you will thoroughly explain to them why it is important to keep our oral hygiene. Give them examples of good and bad oral hygiene and let them realize by themselves that the process is important.  

Let them choose the mouthwash they like, and we guarantee that the procedure will be much easier and enjoyable for everyone. The market is huge, but make sure to present them with those products which have high-quality ingredients and again, don’t contain any alcohol.

Keep mouthwash out of reach, so the youngest doesn’t get confused about their usage. We know very well how curious they can be and when they have a certain goal in their head, nothing can stop them. Well, almost nothing, because you can simply move the mouthwash to a cupboard and have peace of mind. 

Rinsing is just part of the mighty trio, so make sure to develop a healthy routine from the start. After brushing, including rinsing and then finish with flossing. There are numerous benefits of this cycle and your kids will be thankful to you once they grow up. This is especially important for children who have braces. 

And finally, don’t forget to have some fun. Whenever you are mouth washing with your kid, the regular process of swishing and spitting can turn out to be a proper game. Compete who can rinse longer and set the higher limit each time.