If you are interested in finding out what happens if a person happens to eat cement then you’ve come to the right article.
As, in this article, I’ll be answering this question for you and after I’ve answered this question then I’ll cover a few more closely related questions as well which hopefully will extend your knowledge even more.
I hope you learn a lot from this one!
What Happens If You Eat Cement?
Cement mainly contains lime, which is a corrosive alkaline substance that, when swallowed, can cause burning of the mouth, stomach, throat, and lips.
When cement is diluted with water, it solidifies and produces heat.
Consuming large amounts of these alkaline materials can result in a wide array of severe physical injuries, ranging from mild to life-threatening.
In some cases, when cement is ingested, it can solidify in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing the absorption of food.
The initial signs experienced after ingesting cement can include difficulty swallowing, drooling, or vomiting.
It can also lead to allergic dermatitis, chemical burns, and abrasions.
The most common symptom reported after eating cement is profuse vomiting, which is mainly triggered by the reaction between plaster and hydrochloric acid that is present in the stomach.
Moreover, profuse vomiting can also be caused by the chemical reaction between lime and water.
Cement consumption can lead to a wide array of physical problems due to its highly toxic nature, which can result in skin, respiratory, and eye tract irritation.
Cement also contains Chromium, which can trigger severe allergic reactions, and calcium oxide, which is highly corrosive to human tissue.
When cement slurry is ingested, it will cut your esophagus, causing you to constantly vomit or spit out blood when it solidifies there.
If it happens to get into your stomach, it will remain there for the rest of your life since it is indigestible and can result in several health complications or even death.
What Happens If a Child Eats Cement?
Cement is a highly corrosive substance due to its high pH, which, when swallowed, can lead to severe or even life-altering health complications.
When a child consumes cement, the side effects can be the same as that of an adult or even become more severe.
The initial signs and symptoms your child may experience after eating cement can include drooling, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing.
When cement becomes hydrated, it immediately becomes solid and generates heat.
Thus, ingesting large amounts of this highly alkaline substance can result in chemical burns, abrasions, and allergic dermatitis.
Cement also contains Chromium, which is highly corrosive to the human body and can severely damage your child’s lungs, mouth, eyes, lips, and skin.
Another common problem with eating cement is excessive vomiting which is caused by the chemical reaction between hydrochloric acid and plaster in the cement.
In some cases, when cement is consumed, it can harden your child’s gastrointestinal system, causing digestion problems.
Another life-threatening ingredient in cement is calcium oxide (lime), which is a highly corrosive and toxic substance that, when swallowed, can cause fatal allergic reactions like, for example, eye tract, skin, and respiratory irritation.
Additionally, when your child ingests cement, it can cut their throat by solidifying, causing them to continuously spit or vomit out blood.
Since the risks associated with cement consumption are mainly fatal, the most effective method to help protect our children is to minimize or avoid exposing them to it.
Can Eating Cement Be Lethal?
Ingesting cement is very dangerous as it can result in severe tissue damage, physical injury, or chemical abrasion of any of the body organs it comes in contact with.
Cement is mainly composed of calcium oxide (lime).
When diluted with water, it produces calcium hydroxide, a highly alkaline substance with a pH of 12 or even higher if left for some minutes.
When calcium hydroxide is consumed, it immediately damages your throat, eyes, skin, lungs, and mouth due to its highly corrosive nature.
This is the main reason why dry cement is less lethal than hydrated cement.
That said, it is often advisable to immediately seek medical assistance if you accidentally swallow cement.
Can You Eat Cement?
Cement is extremely lethal to the human body and so should not be consumed as it immediately solidifies in your intestinal walls.
If any cement is accidentally ingested then make sure you thoroughly rinse your mouth and lips.
If cement comes in contact with your eyes or skin then you should immediately rinse it off with room or cool temperature water for about fifteen minutes.
Furthermore, if you suspect someone has accidentally consumed any cement product then you are advised to immediately remove any contaminated clothing.
Is It Okay to Eat Cement?
It is not advisable to consume cement as it will most certainly harm your body by damaging most of your organs.
Cement contains lime which is a highly corrosive substance that can severely damage your throat.
Once mixed with water, cement immediately becomes hard and generates.
When slurry cement is consumed, it solidifies in your body and corrodes your body organs due to the heat generated after dilution.
Moreover, wet concrete in your intestinal wall can result in digestion problems or it can even be lethal.
What Does Eating Cement Do to Your Body?
The most common side effect associated with consuming cement is burning and irritation of the esophagus.
Cement is a toxic and highly alkaline substance that can lead to allergic dermatitis, chemical burns, and abrasions to your body organs.
The lime in cement is very lethal in the human body and results in skin, respiratory tract, and eye irritation.
Swallowing cement can cause burns to the lips, mouth, throat, and stomach and contains calcium oxide which is corrosive to human tissue.
When ingested, cement can also cut your throat, causing you to constantly vomit or spit blood when it solidifies.
Moreover, cement contains Chromium, which is a highly corrosive substance and can trigger severe allergic reactions or even profuse vomiting.
The signs associated with cement ingestion include difficulty swallowing, profuse vomiting, or drooling.
In some cases, when wet concrete solidifies in your gastrointestinal tract, it can lead to digestion problems.
What Does Eating Cement Mean?
Consuming cement is usually triggered by an eating disorder known as Pica, which involves people wanting to consume non-food items.
But it can also be that the person in question wants to eat cement because he or she is lacking essential vitamins and minerals and therefore craves eating cement.
All in all, though, the person must search for help from a specialist if he or she can’t stop craving cement.
Why Do I Want to Eat Cement?
Pica is mainly common among people with certain mental health complications, like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia which may develop as a coping mechanism.
Pica is an eating disorder that can cause people to crave and enjoy consuming certain non-food items.
There are, however, also people out there that genuinely like the taste of cement.
It can also be that you lack certain vitamins and minerals and therefore you crave eating cement.
What Is a Cement Eating Disorder?
The cement eating disorder is termed, Pica.
Pica is an eating disorder that causes one to crave eating non-food items such as cement.
Also, people that have pica often want to eat grass or even toys.
How to Stop Eating Cement?
If you have problems craving to eat cement then you should consider having your calcium and Hb levels tested.
Inadequate amounts of iron in your body can also cause you to crave eating cement.
However, if deficiency is not the main triggering agent then you should consider talking to a counselor.
Can Termites Eat Cement?
Termites cannot feed on cement as they are naturally not able to digest it.
Termites instead eat a common organic compound named cellulose.
Cellulose is a compound that can be found in paper, wood, and cotton.
Why Do Dogs Eat Cement?
Many reasons can cause your dog to eat cement, including dietary deficiency, the need for particular minerals, or the clay-like smell of tiles.
It is, however, not common for your dog to want to eat cement as not every dog will, for example, have a dietary deficiency.
Also, dogs are carnivores which means that they’ll eat the meat of other animals and cement is, of course, not meat.
Conclusion
In this article, you’ve learned that if you happen to eat cement you can experience burning of the mouth, stomach, throat, and lips.
Also, when cement is ingested, it can cause physical injuries which can range from mild to life-threatening.
Besides, cement can solidify in the gastrointestinal tract which can result in the malabsorption of food.