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Dealing with the accidental ingestion of essential oils - Information
With the growth in popularity of aromatherapy, more people are using essential oils around the home.
Whilst IFPA have no wish to alarm, it should be noted that some essential oils are toxic and as such should not be taken internally. Additionally, oils stored in the home must be kept in a secure place, well out of the reach of children.
Incidents of accidental ingestion of essential oils have been reported to The National Poisons Information Service, who has advised IFPA that it would be helpful for them, when deal with emergencies, if the following information is made available at the time an emergency occurs;
1) Common name and - if possible - botanical name of the essential oil suspected of ingestion.
2) Country of origin of the essential oil – if known - this will help identify chemical variations.
3) Common carrier oil name[s] - If the oils have been blended in carrier oil, & the common and botanical names of all essential oils used in the blend, is very important.
4) If the ingested material is a blend of neat essential oils (such as a respiratory blend for vaporising) the common & botanical name’s of all oils used to prepare the blend are needed.
This information should be on the label of all essential oils or essential oil blends purchased from reputable suppliers; therefore it is VITAL that in an emergency situation you take the suspect bottle with you to the hospital or doctor. If you are not sure which oil has been ingested, take all the bottles that you have.
If you find yourself in a situation where essential oil ingestion is suspected - particularly by a child - please keep calm, and take the bottle(s) in a bag along with the child/person who may have ingested the oil to your local accident and emergency unit immediately.
Therapists are reminded to ensure that any bottles used for oils or blend’s prepared for client’s home use carry all of the above information, plus a contact number or address in case further information is required.
Finally – Please remember:
Very few essential oils are fatality toxic
As with many common household substances where accidental ingestion of a large amount may be harmful - but a small amount causes little problem, accidental ingestion of one or two drops of the more common essential oils is unlikely to cause lasting problems.
If you have any concerns about the safety aspect of oils you regularly use around your home please contact your nearest IFPA therapist who will be happy to advise you on safety issues.
You can contact a local therapist using our on-line data base (Link) or via the IFPA office (link to mail address).
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