Tide Pod challenge teens warned dangerous craze could destroy their insides and knock them unconscious
The idiotic detergent chomping daredevils risk ruining their digestive systems by indulging in the dangerous challenge
The idiotic detergent chomping daredevils risk ruining their digestive systems by indulging in the dangerous challenge
TEENS have been warned that taking part in the 'Tide pod challenge', which is sweeping the internet, could ruin their insides and knock them unconscious.
The new craze sees young people gorging on the washing detergent without any concern for the health risks which include vomiting, diarrhoea. bleach burn, and foaming at the mouth.
But despite numerous warnings from the Tide brand and the American Association of Poison Control Centers of the dangers of munching Tide pods, fame and detergent hungry posters are continuing to chomp them.
But the detergent in he pods, which is used to break up components of waste, is composed of a mixture of synthetic chemicals including their most important ingredient, surfactants.
Surfactants are long-chain molecules that attach both to water and grease that form “supermolecules” when they are dissolved in water.
Our mouth and digestive system are full of water - as well as fats and having these ripped from your digestive system is deeply harmful.
If a high dose is consumed, the effects can become much more severe according to a report that states: “Manifestations may include vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhoea.
“In rare cases, vomiting or formation of considerable amounts of foam in the mouth involve an aspiration risk.”
They also contain bleach which can irrevocably burn a persons insides.
Docs had previously urged teenagers not to take part in the dangerous ‘Tide Pod Challenge’ that has swept the internet or risk becoming seriously ill.
Ingesting these pods can cause nausea, vomiting, coughing, choking, breathing trouble and stomach pain.
Soap poisoning can also affect blood pressure and cause the heart rate to drop rapidly.
This could lead to the failure of vital organs and the heart collapsing.
Bursting the outer membrane of the pods can also lead to mouth, skin and eye irritation as well as painful rashes and burns.
Hundreds of videos began popping up online over the past year showing teens popping the detergent pods into their mouths, drinking the liquid and even cooking with them.
The appeal of the unusual trend is believed to be purely aesthetic.
Many brands of washing capsules, especially Tide ones, are filled with colourful liquids making the pouches resemble sweets.
Speaking to Buzzfeed, one teenager said she heard about the craze on a Whatsapp group and decided to record herself biting into one before settling down for her evening meal.
The video was shared on Twitter but the teenager’s mother ordered her to remove it.
She said: “I wasn't scared because I knew I wasn't going to swallow it.
“Just bite into it. And I washed my mouth out for quite some time afterwards."
The incredibly dangerous stunt was once just a source of satire in The Onion.
In 2015 the site published a mock story from the perspective of a child who wanted to eat a blue and red detergent pod.
Today, worried doctors, parents and even manufacturers are pleading with impressionable youngsters to stop eating the laundry liquid.
The substances inside these pods are highly poisonous and pose serious health risks if they are ingested.
Even a small amount of the highly-concentrated liquid detergent can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and breathing difficulties.
At their worst, they can even lead to death.
Manufacturer Tide has launched a page on its website dedicated to the safe handling of its products.
The company advises consumers to drink a glass of milk or water if the product is swallowed and immediately call for medical help.
In a statement, the company said: “Our laundry pacs are a highly concentrated detergent meant to clean clothes … They should not be played with, whatever the circumstance is, even if meant as a joke.”
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