[Substituting metasilicates in machine dishwashing agents prevents childhood corrosive injuries]

In children unintentional ingestions of metasilicate- containing machine dishwashing agents have caused corrosive injuries of the mouth and esophagus in up to 50% of all cases. Whether substituting the corrosive ingredient by disilicates and carbonates reduces the number of corrosive injuries was studied in a 2-year prospective follow-up of 396 unintentional childhood ingestions. Symptoms of possible mucous membrane injury by machine dishwashing agents containing disilicates and carbonates (group DC) were compared to ingestions of irritating but definitely non-corrosive surfactants (group S). A total of 396 DC cases were followed, 86 of which showed initial symptoms such as crying, drooling, vomiting, or unwillingness to drink. Endoscopy of the esophagus performed in 17 children was normal in 13 cases and showed a general reddening of the esophageal mucosa in the remaining 4 children. None had corrosive oral lesions. This demonstrates a significant reduction of mucous membrane lesions compared to the older metasilicate-containing machine dishwashing agents. The toxic effects of the new dishwashing agents (group DC) are only slightly more pronounced than compared to 188 control cases of group S.