You may find yourself faced with a sudden minor mishap that you absolutely never intended. When this happens, you may then discover you’re far too embarrassed to ask questions, so you spend a lot of time crossing your fingers and hoping that some sort of consequence never shows! When it comes to common issues like swallowing toothpaste while you’re brushing (or other scary oral health stories), it’s best to feel informed. You will find that in most instances, such dilemmas are a little weird but rarely dangerous!

If You Swallow Toothpaste…

No, you are not going to end up suffering severe reactions if you swallow while you’re brushing (instead of spitting your toothpaste into the sink). That is, unless you use an awful lot of toothpaste (more than the recommended amount). Yes, you might feel embarrassed about this oral health related incident but it’s nothing to worry about if it happens on occasion.

If You Swallow Gum

Maybe you were feeling on top of the world as you chewed your sugarless gum, knowing full well that you were doing something beneficial for your oral health. Then, without warning, you were caught by surprise and accidentally swallowed your gum! While memories from elementary school fill your mind (all of which point to the old wives’ tale that the gum will remain in your digestive system for approximately 100 years), this simply isn’t factual. True, swallowing a pack of gum could cause serious distress. However, a single piece will move right along with the food you have consumed for the day!