The Utah Poison Control Center (UPCC) responds to nearly 150 calls a day for assistance from the public and health care professionals. Specialists in poison information, registered nurses and pharmacists with additional training in clinical toxicology answer phones at UPCC around the clock. UPCC is a program of the U of U college of pharmacy with a mission to prevent and minimize adverse health effects from poison exposure through education, service, and research.
The majority of calls to the UPCC involve children under 6 years old. The top three of all calls received are:
- Analgesics
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Household cleaning products
But in children under age 6, cosmetics and personal care products [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][are] the number one substance category. These include toothpaste and mouthwash as well as a variety of other personal care items.
Toothpaste with fluoride is the most common substance in this category. Most toothpaste exposures involve ingestion of a mouthful. Needless to say, in some situations the child ingests more than a mouthful and sometimes the better part of the contents of the tube of toothpaste.
Another common call to the UPCC involves multivitamins and fluoride tablets.
Fluoride calls are challenging because often families have large bottles of fluoride tablets that are shared among several children, making it difficult to determine the dose ingested. Luckily a large number of fluoride tablets are needed to reach a toxic dose, and serious adverse effects in children are uncommon.
We hope you will help us pass along poison prevention messages and encourage caregivers of small children to keep toothpaste and other oral health products up high and out of reach.
In a world of ever-changing chemical, drugs, and poisons, we remain committed to providing personalized expert advice 24 hours a day. Encourage your patients to call us at 800-222-1222 if a poison occurs. Dialing this number from anywhere in Utah puts you in contact with UPCC 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls are free and confidential.
The preceding information was originally printed in the UDA Action, a newsletter of the Utah Dental Association. This article was written by Marty Malheiro, MS, MCHES, Clinical Instructor, Pharmacology of the Utah Poison Control Center.
Cannon Family Dental is located in Davis County, Utah, which has fluoridated water (except Woods Cross City). I have counseled all of my patients to discontinue all oral, ingestible fluorides for children living in Davis County, Utah or any other community with fluoridated water. The reason is that residents of fluoridated communities are already ingesting the recommended fluoride dosages in their water. To take fluoride tablets in addition to the fluoridated water would result in fluorosis, or fluoride poisoning.
If you have any questions regarding fluorides for cavity prevention please call my office at 801-292-3501, or call UPCC (the number was printed above).[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
