Swallowed Toothpicks Can Lead to Big Trouble, Experts Warn
Accidentally swallowing a toothpick or other foreign object can cause serious health problems, such as blood poisoning (sepsis) or liver abscess.
Researchers reporting Sept. 11 in BMJ Case Reports said toothpicks, pins, nails or small bones that end up in the gut may not show up on conventional X-rays and often create vague symptoms, making detection difficult.
In one instance, a woman...