In America we experience those around us, especially teens, participating in new social media challenges. On the rise is the Tide Pod Challenge. Here are the top five reasons to avoid Tide pods.

1.       No matter what you do, a Tide pod will always dissolve in your mouth. Tide pods are made to dissolve when they come in contact with liquids. They’re for washing clothes, not the inside of your mouth.
2.       Tide pods are filled with all sorts of toxic chemicals. The first five ingredients of Tide pods are: alcohol ethoxylate, alcohol ethoxy sulfate, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, propylene glycol, and citric acid. Most teens don’t even know what those substances are, so why would they want to put them in their body? If it sounds like it will make you sick, it’s gonna make you sick.
3.       The box even says keep out of reach of children. It gives parents information on what to do if one is ingested. This should be a total red flag. And yet, some yahoos out there are STILL eating them.
4.       The consequences are grim. According to an article on Independent.com, eating a Tide pod can result in vomiting or have life-threatening consequences. You can die from eating a Tide pod but likely not from actually using the pods for washing clothes.
5.       According to vice.com, about 100 people have called Poison Control to report a Tide pod incident. Those are just the numbers for 2018. Oh, the horror. These people must be stopped.

If you do happen to ingest a Tide pod, call Poison Control immediately  at (800) 222-1222.

SOURCES: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/kznvqy/almost-100-people-have-called-poison-control-about-eating-tide-pods-this-year-vgtrn

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tide-pod-challenge-deaths-risk-teens-eat-detergent-videos-what-is-happening-a8156736.html

https://tide.com/en-us/about-tide/innovation/detergent-ingredients