This world is full of unusual people that divert from common people at an angle of 360 degrees. They eat inorganic food which has no nutritional value, sometimes even hurting them. Such a novel disorder called Pica refers to eating nonfood stuff. In this category, some people are habitual of eating paper.
It is impossible you are unaware of the taste of paper. Every person tastes it consciously or unconsciously at any time of his life. Someone may ask what happens if you swallow paper?
Swallowing paper intentionally or unintentionally has no benefit because the paper has no nutritional value. It causes very little or no harm as indigestible in the human gut. Sometimes it causes blockage in the GI tract.
Dioxin and ink particles are harmful. Let’s discuss all aspects o ingestion paper whether in small quantity or in a large amount.
What Happens If You Consume Paper/Xylophagia
Is it normal for a man who eats or is attracted to nonfood items? Attracting toward non-food items at the time of hunger is a disorder called Pica. During this man can eat clay, paper, pebbles, etc.
Pica is the unbelievable carving of non-nutritive things like paint, soap, detergent.
This non-foodstuff is of different kinds depending on the person which is his/her favorite in the diet. One of which is eating papers, tissue, paper towels, or any wooden material which is not included in our diet.
Xylophagia is a condition in which man is involved in the consumption of paper, pencil wood bark, or any substance made of wood. It is a subtype of an eating disorder called Pica.
Pica is often related to deficiency of main food components like zinc, iron, and calcium.
What Happens If small Kids/toddler Eat up Paper
Babies are habitual of eating different things. They have a curiosity about things. They want to taste each and everything. It is just a normal thing. If you observe that he/she chewed paper immediately clean its mouth.
If your kid does not gasp or choke, does not continue coughing, or has difficulty breathing after swallowing papers, this condition is not risky so don’t worry.
But if children try to engulf every piece of paper and show the behavior of eating paper quite frequently it is not the normal thing. After the survey and medical test, this reveals a deficiency of nutrients like iron, zinc, and calcium. they also have a shortage of trace minerals like thiamine, niacin, and vitamin B and C.
What Happens If A Woman Swallow Paper
Sometimes women are more intensely attracted to eating something other than food like paper, clay, and other wooden items. Paper eating habit is quite different but happened due to a strong deficiency of specific minerals.
During the menstrual cycle, a lot of blood loss every month should replenish. If this does not happen, ultimately results in anemia. (deficiency of iron).
Pica is very common in pregnant women. It has been estimated that about 68% of pregnant women show symptoms of pica. The amount of blood increases 20 to 30% during pregnancy which also demands a high amount of iron to make hemoglobin. If this is not fulfilled through diet a strong desire to eat paper or tissue can lead to Pica.
What Happens If You Swallow Paper Towel
Should you be worried if you desire to eat strange thighs like a paper towel? If you find it delicious and need to eat more and more you might need to check your iron level. Usually, iron tablets lower the desire of eating paper towels.
The individual that puts the paper towel in their mouth could be harmful to their health. It may be toxic, may reduce the absorption of useful nutrients, and may also blockage of GI and damage of GI tract.
What Happens If You Devour Tissue Paper
Tissue paper is cellulose which is indigestible by the human digestive system. This thing cannot fill your stomach and its chemicals also harm you. If you think its softness never harms you, it means you cheat with your health. Avoid such harmful material. In case of craving tissue paper, you should consult a doctor and get proper treatment.
What Happens If You Swallow Toilet Paper
This is surely an unusual thing. If you eat a small amount of toilet paper it does not harm you and passes through feces. But if you digest more than a toilet roll it is quite dangerous
Our stomach can disintegrate toilet paper into individual fiber but could not dissolve or digest it.
The thing made of Wood pulp is not decomposed in the human gut and it may lead to blockage if not excreted in feces.
What Happens If You Swallow Paper Clip
If you swallow a paper clip accidentally and worry about its outcome. The best way to compensate for this situation is to wait with patience.
In most cases, it passes out through the digestive system without any harm. It may be dangerous if it causes pain in the stomach, difficulty in swallowing and drinking, or injures the food pipe (esophagus.)
What Happen If You Accidentally Swallow Paper With Ink
If you accidentally swallow the paper-wrapped sweets or paper stuck with cake, it will not harm you.
Paper is just wood material made of plant parenchyma and acts as roughage for the stomach. It may pass through the stool easily. But remember if you eat it in large quantities it may be toxic. Dioxin which is added during the paper-making process, especially during the bleaching process of wood pulp, proves to be a carcinogen. Paper Ink is also harmful. If something is written on ingested paper, ink increases its toxicity.
What Happens If You Eat Accidentally Wax Paper
Wax paper is thinly coated with wax to make it water-resistant. This paper is often used in baking cakes, biscuits, and sweets. The food-grade wax is not toxic but it’s good to remove all the wax paper from your backed item.
Generally, wax paper is not designed to consume. If you accidentally swallow, it will not stay in your stomach and shunt it from the other side with other waste material.
Can You Die From Eating Wax Paper
Ingestion of small wax paper will not play a negative role in your health. Many of you have already eaten a small piece of wax paper at any stage of your life. But when eating a large wax paper a question comes to your mind’’ will I die due to eating wax paper?’’
Oh, don’t be so afraid. Like other paper, wax paper is not very dangerous, it is just coated with paraffin or soybean to make it water-resistant and oily. It prevents food from sticking to it.
Wax paper is not broken down in the stomach, it will just wad up, travel in the intestine, and pass out in two or three days. If it is in the small pieces you will not even notice it. But if it is in large quantities, it could not pass easily through the stomach or intestine.
To know more about what happens if you swallow paper check out this video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baking Wax Paper Toxic?
Food authority proves it is nontoxic whether melted, burned, or placed in cold water. In all conditions, it is not affected. If someone placed it in the oven for more time it would burn with black smoke. But remain nontoxic.
What Happens If You Accidentally Swallow Paper?
A small amount does not harm you. It will pass out without digesting. This may be dangerous for you as it contains dioxin. This chemical is used during the bleaching of wood pulp for making the paper more white and shiny. Second, if you take it in large quantities it may block the intestine.
Does Eating Paper Clips Prove to Be Dangerous?
Generally, it is not harmful. You should wait until it will pass in feces. But if it injures food pipe or choking it will readily need doctor aid. As soon as you observe any negative effects, call for a doctor who gives you proper medical treatment.
Final Thoughts
Any accidental entry of paper in you may scare you. But some people are habitual of eating papers and this disorder Xylophagia is actually the subclass of Pica. All kinds of papers have no taste and no nutritional value. In Fact, it is not part of our food. Eating up such nonfood stuff is just madness.
This behavior indicates the deficiency of many nutrients, especially in women of developing countries.
We have described all the bad effects of xylophagia. Always remember bad habits can not leave easily. Try hard to leave this and enjoy good health.
