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Glue

Low Risk

Also known as:

Aleene's Tacky Glue® clear glue Elmer’s Glue® glitter glue glue stick Gorilla Glue® hot glue sticks Mod Podge® paste school glue wood glue

Possible Symptoms
  • Minor stomach upset
What to Do
  1. Wipe or rinse out the mouth.
  2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
  3. Rinse any exposed skin with lukewarm water and soap.
  4. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.

Important

School or white glue is very different from super glue. If someone has been exposed to super glue there is a risk for fingers being stuck together or getting stuck to an object as fingers to a table. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 if there has been an incident with super glue.

Additional Information

Note: If your child has gotten glue into their eyes, call the Missouri Poison Center now for help on how to rinse the eyes.

Glues used for craft and school projects are often left sitting out open on the table, making them an easy reach for young children.  Ingestion (or swallowing) of “school glue,” sometimes referred to as white glue or paper glue, is not expected to cause many symptoms.  Glue is made up of water with a small amount of a chemical called polyvinyl acetate.  The polyvinyl acetate molecules move past each other when wet, but set firm when dry.  This is how they stick things together.  Paste is very similar to glue but is made up of  starch (such as flour) mixed with water.

Ingestion of small amounts of glue or paste by children during an unsupervised moment is not an emergency, but can cause minor stomach upset.  If you find your child eating glue, take it away from him or her.  Wipe any visible glue from around their mouths and fingers, and then wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth.  After that, have the child drink some water to wash it down into the stomach.

If your child is found with SUPER GLUE, there are additional concerns.  The bond created by super glue is much stronger, fingers can be stuck together or stuck to objects such as a table.  Be safe and call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 if there has been an incident with super glue.  The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions.

This information does not apply to hot glue, wood glue, tacky glue, epoxy glue or resin, rubber cement, model glue/adhesive, spray adhesive, or polyurethane adhesives.

Take The Missouri Poison Center With You

Emergencies don’t wait for you, so you shouldn’t have to wait to call for help. Get the Missouri Poison Center app with poison information and a link to the Poison Help Line. It is just a click away during the most stressful moments. Our registered nurses and pharmacists are here 24/7/365 days a year to help guide you through poison exposures and overdose emergencies.

Don’t wait. Download now.

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