[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).