Child Burns Tongue After Eating ‘Very Dangerous’ Sour Lollipops

A child health organization in Australia has reminded parents to be careful of sour lollipops over their tendency to cause chemical burns.

In a post on social media, CPR Kids warned that children under the age of 4 should not eat "sour lollies" and that consuming multiple lollipops can cause "temporary irritation to sensitive tongues and mouths.”

Even with the warnings on their labels, everyone should avoid sour lollies regardless of their age due to the acidic coatings, the organization added.

Most sour lollipops are more acidic than vinegar, lab tests conducted by the Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed.

"Sour lollies can be very dangerous due to the high level of acid or PH, which can cause chemical burns," Dental Association of Australia's Jonathon Teo was quoted as saying in the post, which included a photo of a child's tongue seemingly burnt by a sour lollipop.

The photo was sent to CPR Kids by a mother from Perth "to spread awareness" of the dangers of sour lollipops, prompting the organization to make the post.

The brand of the sour lollipop that supposedly caused the burn was not disclosed, but Warheads and TNT are among the most popular brands in Australia, according to 7News.com.au.

CPR Kids shared that a similar incident happened last year when a Warheads lollipop burned a "massive hole" in a 4-year-old Melbourne girl's tongue.

While the child was taken to a hospital, nothing could have been done to help shorten the healing process.

However, a doctor claimed that the child's family was "very lucky" since the tongue "is the fastest healing part of the body."

In addition to possibly burning tongues, the consumption of sour lollipops may increase risks of dental detriment, tooth decay and erosion, according to CHOICE.

"They're never going to be healthy, but at the very least we think the lollies that kids have access to should be safe. If they're acidic enough to warrant a warning about the potential for causing a severe reaction, or require that you flush your eyes with water if they come into contact, we think this is a cause for concern," the organization said in a 2016 report.