'Be aware of the risks': ER doctor shares why she doesn't have metal straws in her home

"These have a significant potential for injury," she shares while highlighting the worst cases she's seen.

We get it. Many parents are doing all they can to help their children care for the environment that little bit more.

We pick up other people's rubbish in the school playground, park and beach and are doing our best to eliminate the use of plastics. 

Shopping bags were the first to go, and then came the ban on plastic straws.

But according to an ER doctor, the alternative to plastic straws can be pretty dangerous. 

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Metal straws are better for the environment but come with risks. Image: Instagram / dr.beachgem10

"I don't like metal straws"

As she took to social media recently, paediatric emergency doctor and mum, @dr.beachgem10, got straight to the point.

"I don’t like metal straws because of the risks associated with puncture wounds in the mouth," she bluntly captioned the video shared on Instagram. 

Holding up a metal straw in the clip, she then goes on to explain the reason why she has gone as far as banning the common kitchen item in her own home. 

"These are not supposed to be in my house. These have a really significant potential for injury there is no give and we're putting them in our mouth. We're drinking out of a cup or something, right? If somebody bops you from here (gesturing to the back of the head) or bops the cup you're drinking, this can create puncture wounds into the back of the mouth," she explained. 

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So why are they dangerous? It's all to do with a rather important blood vessel at the back of our mouths. 

"Generally in the middle, over that uvula area, it's not as much of a big deal. But if it's over that tonsil area, behind that tonsil is a really big blood vessel called your carotid artery... this can cause pretty significant problems because that blood vessel brings blood directly to your brain and if you're not getting blood to your brain, that can cause you to have a stroke," she shared.

"There's also the potential that you could just injure the blood vessel and have a lot of bleeding and your airway is right there and so putting pressure on that location can be difficult because your airway is right there."

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While they are of course better for the environment, which is the reason they have become so popular, the injuries outweigh the benefits according to the doc and she goes on to share a few cases she's come across to prove it. 

"There have been lots of injuries reported. Not only oral puncture wounds but there was also a case where it went into someone's eye and went into their brain and actually killed them," she shared. 

"So be aware of the risks of using these and there are other better and safer options out there," she ended the clip, while also giving silicone straws the green light.

Horror stories from the ER

Many of the doctor's followers were genuinely surprised to hear this. 

"New fear unlocked 😮 *tosses all metal straws in the trash*," one person commented on her video. 

"Throwing mine away right now," another added. 

And another person chimed in with: "Never thought about this and my toddler drinks out of my plastic one all the time. Thank you for sharing 🤯."

But there were some who were sadly aware of the dangers because of their own terrifying experiences with metal straws. 

"Flashbacks to the night on call when a patient with hemophilia injured their soft palate with a straw. Awful. I’ll never forget it," one parent shared. 

Another person added: "This happened to my little one, I didn't even think this would be a problem. She was walking while drink tripped fell and straw went to the back of her throat. Thankfully, it was a minor wound, but the ER doc said it could have been really bad. 🤢"

And another said they also had a very lucky escape after a fall. "My 1 year old grabbed a cup with a hard plastic straw and fell while I was walking... 1mm from his artery... thankfully he is okay, but straws terrify me now!"

Originally published as 'Be aware of the risks': ER doctor shares why she doesn't have metal straws in her home