Is sodium tetraborate in slime harmful: the dangers of homemade slimes

What is sodium tetraborate?

Borax is an inorganic compound that has pronounced antiseptic properties. Abroad it is used as a disinfectant. In the domestic pharmaceutical market, a 20% solution of sodium tetraborate in glycerin is more often used. A product with bactericidal and fungicidal action is suitable for the treatment of fungal infections.

Dermatologists warn that sodium tetraborate is dangerous in high concentrations. It has accumulative properties, so with frequent contact with the substance, an overdose is possible. The toxic concentration of borax is 35-40 mg/l of blood. The harmful compound provokes many unwanted reactions:

skin rash;
loose stools;
muscle twitching;
malaise;
swelling;
dermatitis.

Sodium tetraborate appears as a white crystalline powder. It is practically insoluble in alcohols, and aqueous solutions have alkaline properties. The use of highly concentrated liquid leads to skin irritation and burns.

News about the toxicity of homemade slimes is increasingly appearing in the media. Contact of sodium tetraborate with sensitive skin increases the risk of allergic dermatoses.

Sodium tetraborate together with the food additive E412 (guar gum) are the main components of slimes. Thanks to them, the toy acquires the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid, becoming viscous and elastic. But too frequent contact with slime can lead to skin rashes and inflammation.

The shelf life of sodium tetraborate is 2 years at temperatures up to 25°C. It is strictly not recommended to use the product for making slime after this period has expired. If a child accidentally swallows a substance, you need to do a gastric lavage and call a doctor at home.

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Precautions when making slime

Sodium tetraborate is a product that is assigned toxicity class 4. This means that the substance is not toxic, but its molecules can accumulate in the body. Therefore, frequent or prolonged contact with borax leads to undesirable consequences.

Boric acid salts are used to make slimes. They play the role of activators that accelerate the thickening of polysaccharides or polymers. To protect yourself and eliminate skin problems, you need to consider several rules when making a toy:

When making slime with sodium tetraborate, you need to wear gloves. When mixing borax with other components of the slime, it is necessary to protect the skin from the toxic effects of orthoboric acid crystals.
It is dangerous to give slimes containing sodium tetraborate to young children. Children under the age of 4-5 years tend to put their hands and small objects in their mouths. Contact of sodium tetraborate with mucous membranes may cause swelling and irritation.
Slime should be made in a ventilated area. When borax is mixed with water, glycerin and other liquids, harmful fumes are released. To protect the mucous membranes of the nose and throat from irritation, it is advisable to perform the procedure outside or in a well-ventilated area.

It is necessary to avoid contact with the toy if there are any damage to the skin - scratches, ulcers.

To make slime, you cannot use containers in which products will later be stored. If the mixture gets into your eyes, rinse the mucous membrane with running water. If severe watering or redness occurs, contact your eye doctor immediately.

Detailed instructions for use

The use of sodium tetraborate is most effective for candidal stomatitis: the solution helps stop the spread of fungus on the mucous membrane of the oral surface. The specific use of borax depends on the severity of the disease, the area of the affected area, and the age of the patient.

In infants

This substance effectively fights fungal spores on the oral mucosa and prevents their reappearance.

Before treating the affected areas with borax, it is worth preparing the oral surface. With stomatitis, the ulcers are often covered with a crust, which prevents the absorption of the drug, so it must be removed. For infants, this is done as follows: a cotton swab is moistened with an oil solution of vitamin A, dried wounds are treated with it, and the crusts are removed with gentle movements.

Have you heard of this disease - black hairy tongue? We will tell you more about it in our next publication. And here you will learn about the features of treatment of submandibular lymphadenitis.

In teenagers

For older children, two methods can be used: rinsing and spotting.

Rinsing the mouth with borax solution. To prepare the solution, add a tablespoon of rock salt and half a teaspoon of borax to a glass of water. After dissolving the salt, the composition can be used to rinse the mouth.
Spot treatment is carried out in the same way as in the case of infants. Use a cotton swab dipped in borax solution to wipe the tongue, inner surface of the lips and cheeks. This method is more effective because it allows you to more thoroughly remove plaque from the oral mucosa.

Sometimes the clinical manifestations of stomatitis have a different specificity: cracks and rashes appear on the lips. In this case, an application is used: wipes moistened with the solution are applied to the affected areas and left for a short period of time.

In the next video we will be told in more detail about stomatitis in children:

It is necessary to use the solution for rinsing or spot treatment of the oral cavity no more than twice a day. By treating the affected surface daily for a week, the problem will be eliminated.

In adults

Stomatitis is a disease not typical for adult patients. However, if there are signs of the development of a fungal infection in the oral cavity, you should also use borax in glycerin.

The treatment method for stomatitis in adults depends on the severity and extent of the disease.

There are several forms of development of stomatitis, the treatment of each of which has its own characteristics:

Acute stomatitis characterized by the manifestation of all signs of the disease: redness of the mucous membrane, swelling, formation of ulcers, and the appearance of plaque.
To completely cure the disease and eliminate its root cause, the oral cavity must be treated with borax solution up to 6 times a day for 1 week.
Using a gauze swab soaked in a medicinal substance, plaque is removed from the affected areas. In addition to spot treatment, you can use mouth rinses.
If acute stomatitis is not completely cured and the immune system is weak, the disease passes into the chronic stage. The causative agent of the infection remains in the oral cavity and with a sharp decrease in the activity of the body’s immune system, it becomes active again.
For the treatment of chronic stomatitis, the oral cavity must be treated with a solution of sodium tetraborate up to 3 times a day for 2-3 weeks. If the disease cannot be eliminated during this period, you should seek help from your doctor.

To completely cure ulcers on the surface of the mucous membrane, it is recommended to use sea buckthorn oil, which has a healing effect. In addition, you should refrain from eating too hot food and drinks.

Is borax sold to children in pharmacies?

Sodium tetraborate is sold in pharmacies in the form of an aqueous or glycerin solution. The antiseptic belongs to the group of low-toxic drugs and is available without a prescription. Therefore, if desired, even a schoolchild can purchase a bottle with a slime activator. By the way, you won’t be able to buy it in a pharmacy in Kazakhstan.

In 70% of cases, the danger lies in the toxicity not of sodium tetraborate itself, but of the compounds that are obtained in the manufacture of slimes. It is not advisable to mix borax with phenols:

methanol;
resorcinol;
pyrogallol.

Chemical reactions occur when sodium tetraborate is mixed with strong acids, which are part of household chemicals.

Reviews

Numerous reviews on the Internet indicate the high effectiveness of sodium tetraborate in the fight against stomatitis.

However, its use is permissible only after consultation with your doctor. This will allow you to select the optimal treatment option and avoid the disease from entering the chronic phase.

Leave your comments about the effectiveness of using borax in glycerin for the treatment of stomatitis.

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What can you replace the ingredient with?

When making slime, sodium tetraborate plays the role of an activator, which improves the properties of the jelly-like mass. To reduce the toxicity of the toy, it is recommended to use products with a lower content of orthoboric acid salts or with other components as a catalyst. Suitable for making slime:

Starch with water. For a small slime, just add 100 ml of a solution prepared from water and starch in a 1:1 ratio to PVA glue, film mask, shampoo or shaving foam.
Lens solution. Liquids for contact lenses, which contain a salt of orthoboric acid, are used as an activator.
Baking soda with liquid soap. The ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 1:4. It is very important not to overdo it with soda, otherwise the slime will lose its elasticity.
Plasticine with gelatin. 5 g of gelatin pour 3-4 tbsp. l. warm water. A small block of ordinary plasticine is heated in a water bath until it softens. Add gelatin mass to it, after which the components are thoroughly mixed.

The easiest way is to replace sodium tetraborate with Teymurov's spray, which contains sodium borate, peppermint oil and salicylic acid. To make a slime the size of a fist, you will need no more than 3-4 ml of this antiseptic.

Most borax substitutes do not have the necessary properties, so the elasticity of the slime is reduced. To increase its ductility, it is advisable to use as a second basic component:

guar gum;
office glue;
polyvinyl acetate (PVA).

They significantly increase the firmness and elasticity of hand chewing gum. Thanks to the synthetic composition, the risk of mold forming on the toy is reduced. Therefore, its service life is extended to 2 or more weeks.

Is there borax in store-bought slime?

Slime was first produced by the American company Mattel in 1976. They included two components:

food additive E412, or guar gum;
food additive E285, or borax.

The jelly-like toy attracted attention due to the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid. The elastic material easily changes shape, but does not spill. In the absence of external influence, it spreads over the surface, and with sharp compression or impact it becomes compacted.

The chemical composition of modern slimes has remained almost unchanged. To make toys, most manufacturers use:

Polyvinyl acetate (PVA). In its liquid state it has a pungent odor, indicating the presence of volatile chemicals. Manufacturers mask the smell with synthetic fragrances. But when water gets on the toy, the characteristic smell of glue appears again.
Borax. The activator ensures that the slime is sufficiently soft when pressed and elastic when impacted.

Most slimes contain additional components - cellulose, gelatin, corn starch. Organic compounds provide a favorable environment for the proliferation of fungi. Therefore, after 1-2 weeks, the toy becomes a breeding ground for germs.

Sodium tetraborate is one of the basic components of homemade and store-bought slimes, which gives them elasticity and firmness. The inorganic compound belongs to the group of substances with low toxicity, but upon contact with mucous membranes it often causes allergic reactions - swelling, redness. To avoid unwanted consequences, you need to take precautions when playing with slime.