Help! I Got Toothpaste In My Eye (What Do I Do?)

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If you get toothpaste in your eye, start by rinsing that eye with lukewarm water to get some of it out. A doctor can guide you better as some people may get an infection or are allergic to toothpaste ingredients. So, a doctor can guide you properly whether the medicine will help you calm down or you need eye drops.

My daughter had just turned two years, and she was fascinated by brushing her teeth. Then, one morning, she was brushing her teeth and held the toothpaste with her hands. Then she rubbed her eyes with the same hand that had toothpaste.

At first, I didn’t know what was happening, and when she screamed, I realized something was wrong. When I got to her, she was still rubbing her eyes, and I could see the toothpaste and immediately knew it got in her eyes.

We use the Colgate brand for our toothpaste. I quickly put some warm water in a basin and tried washing her eyes, but she was so restless.

I rushed her to the hospital. The doctor gave her eye drops. Although her eye had turned red initially, it improved over the next few days.

On our check-up day, she was feeling better. The doctor ruled out no infection. He told me toothpaste might irritate the eye, making it vulnerable to infections.

We went home, and the eye cream helped her achieve full recovery from the irritation.

In this article, I’ll help share home remedies and other measures you should take if you have your own “toothpaste in the eye” ordeal.

What is toothpaste made of?

The ingredients used in toothpaste cause the irritation we feel when it accidentally gets in our eyes. Most toothpaste contains fluorides, abrasives, triclosan, xylitol, and surfactants.

All these ingredients may prove harmful to the eye in excess amounts. Although they may not cause harm when they get in our eyes once in a while accidentally, they contribute to eye irritation. In children, it may present a serious reaction as it did with my daughter.

The abrasive containing toothpaste causes damage to the enamel, especially if found in high amounts. You have heard that certain toothpaste has high whitening power. The more abrasive there gets to be in toothpaste, the greater its teeth whitening ability.

These abrasives may harm your eye, causing more irritation and sensitivity. The fluorides may also irritate the eye.

The eye makes one of the sensitive body parts, and you should see a doctor if you get a serious reaction from toothpaste getting in. most people rinse it off, and they feel okay. Our bodies act differently.

If you get adverse effects, please see your doctor as soon as possible.

What to do when toothpaste gets into your eyes

A young man is using eye drops to help clear his eyes from some toothpaste that accidentally got in.

When you realize toothpaste has entered your eyes or those of people you may be caring for, you need to rinse it off.

According to COLGATE-PALMOLIVE Company, the “Colgate optic white” toothpaste could cause permanent eye damage in the eyes. Definitely consider what type of toothpaste to keep around if you’re somewhat clumsy or have kids around.

Therefore, it would help if you rinsed off toothpaste in your eyes immediately it gets into your eyes. When rinsing off the eye, the following methods prove helpful.

1. Wash your face with water

In this method:

  • Fill a basin or tap with lukewarm water
  • Put your face in the water
  • While still underwater, open and close your eyes
  • Use your hands to open the eyelids if you don’t seem to voluntary open your eyes
  • With your eyes open, look from left to right
  • Continue the let-right eye movement several

This method allows water to enter the eye and rinse off any chemical causing eye irritation.

2. Flush out the toothpaste from your eye

In this method:

  • Make some lukewarm water
  • Bend over your face and pour the lukewarm water to your open eye
  • Keep your eye open as water flushes the toothpaste out
  • You may also let the water flow from the shower or faucet

As the water enters the eye and leaves, any harmful components leave too.

You should feel better after rinsing your eyes using water. We also recommend that you use bottled water with no chlorine.

Sometimes when chlorine mixes with the fluoride in toothpaste, it may worsen the irritation. Using non-chlorinated water would be best.

How long should you rinse off your eye?

When using the flushing method, you should let the water run through your eye for two to three minutes.

Using the immersion procedure, you may repeat the immersion process up to five times to effectively rinse off the toothpaste.

What other procedures serve to cure toothpaste irritation in the eyes?

In some instances, rinsing your eye may not be very effective. When you feel an eye irritation after rinsing it off, consider the following measures.

  • Use an eyewash when rinsing the eye. You may put in some eyewash in the rinsing water. An eyewash helps in removing the harmful chemicals that may not get removed by pure water. Most eyewash has a tender reaction to the eyes, soothing the eye and preventing further irritation.
  • Eye drops might serve to relieve you from irritation if rinsing did not help. Acting eye drops like Visine have helped many people who have had bloodshot eyes and irritated eyes. The drops may also help with light sensitivity to the irritated eye. One to two drops in every eight hours should help you feel better.
  • Arnica oil might help in case your eye gets inflamed. This product has proven very helpful for patients treating a black eye. If you get an inflammation from the toothpaste irritation, applying this oil to the inflamed region will bring it down.
  • Eye drops that contain, like Refresh advanced eye drops, help in reducing eye irritation. Using this oil may offer relief if your eye irritation persists. The oil also serves as a lubricant, preventing eye dryness.

When should you see a doctor when you get toothpaste in your eye?

All the above remedies work at home. If you don’t get better, the following symptoms will require you to see a doctor.

  • Most of the time, you might not feel pain in your eye when you accidentally get toothpaste in it. If you start to develop pain and the pain stays longer than two hours, you should see a doctor.
  • You may not feel pain, but your eye might get bloodshot red. If the redness persists for more than twenty-four hours, then you might need to see a doctor.
  • If you have that instinct of needing to see a doctor, then you might as well see one. Our instincts sometimes serve to let us know that something may be wrong. Seeing a doctor and confirming that nothing was hurt will offer you satisfaction, which helps your mental health.
  • If you feel you might be getting worse. Some infections might affect your eye after the toothpaste ordeal. If that happens, the eye may get worse. If you notice some inflammation and pain, then you should go and see a doctor.
  • You should see a doctor if your vision gets blurred. Did you know that blurred vision may signify damage to the vital areas of an eye? This symptom will require immediate medical attention.     

What other conditions may result from toothpaste getting into our eyes?

In some rare occurrences, you may develop eye complications resulting from a toothpaste eye accident.

The rinsing and the chemicals in the toothpaste make the eye vulnerable to certain eye infections. The following conditions may result from a toothpaste accident in your eyes.

Sore eyes

Due to the irritation caused by the toothpaste, you may rub your eyes excessively, leading to a sore eye. A painful eye forms a condition by itself and may require medical attention.

The toothpaste serves as the irritant, and the pain resulting from the sore eye will need medication to cope.

Other symptoms for a sore eye include:

You can treat a sore eye using:

  • A cold compress method
  • Castor oil
  • When soaked in cotton wool and placed on closed eyes for ten minutes, Aloe Vera gel and water solution may help with inflammation.

Corneal Abrasion

This condition occurs when the thin layer covering your eye gets scratched or damaged by foreign substances in the eye. The abrasives in toothpaste may lead to such a condition.

Therefore, you should take it seriously and see your doctor, especially if your toothpaste has eye abrasive properties.

Some conditions like iritis or corneal ulcer may result from a simple toothpaste accident in your eyes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you go blind from getting toothpaste in your eye?

It rarely happens, but considering existing eye conditions and the chemicals present in different toothpaste, you should take all the precautionary measures to avoid adverse eye effects to your eye.

It would help if you rinsed off the toothpaste, use eyewash and other eye drops, and also see a doctor and avoid the rare possibility of going blind with toothpaste.

What should I do if I get toothpaste in my eye?

You should rinse your eye with lukewarm water, apply eye drops and see a doctor if the irritation gets worse.

What happens if you get shampoo in your eye?

Just like toothpaste, shampoo may not be harmful to your eye. You should, however, rinse it off and see your doctor if you get eye irritation.

What happens if you get hydrogen peroxide in your eye?

You get an intense burning sensation when hydrogen peroxide gets into your eyes. Rinse off your eye with sterile saline immediately and see a doctor as soon as possible.

Final thoughts

If you happen to get toothpaste in your eye, rinse it off with lukewarm water. Then see a doctor.

Just like my daughter reacted with toothpaste in her eyes, you may experience the same. Ensure you visit your doctor, and eye drops may help you feel better.

Always listen to your body, and you feel that even the harmless substance like most people refer toothpaste causes you pain, see a doctor immediately. The eye forms part of the delicate parts of our bodies.

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Nudrat Naheed
Hi, I am Nudrat, The Heart And Brain author, IR student, and painter. Writing about health fascinates me because it helps me to explore a new healthy routine and share it with others. I write primarily about general health, pregnancy, postpartum, and allergies here. If you don't find me writing, I'm busy painting or reading on global politics.

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