Lead pellets in mouth.

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Shinyknight

Shinyknight

Member
Feb 26, 2019
319
14
Minnesota
Ok. So who have put lead pellets in their mouths before and is it a concern? 15 years ago I used to put lead pellets .177 crosman pointed pellets in my mouth while hunting cause back then my gun didn't have a mag and have to single load. So to do quick shot, I put pellets under my tongue. After a while I learn that lead can cause cancer and birth defect. Is there a concern I should worry about? I feel fine. But feeling fine doesnt mean you are fine. Just a thought.
 
Well, that's one of the craziest things I've ever heard of. Lead poisoning can cause a host of health problems. But, then again, I'm sure there are many smokers here and to me, that is one of the dumbest things a person can do to themselves. Everything has risks. All I can say is, educate yourselves and make the decision on what your willing to risk. And don't whine when it all comes down on you when you get older and your health goes to crap. I've seen it first hand too many times. BTW, I wouldn't worry about it now as there is nothing you can do about it. You'll probably be fine.
 
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I'm 76,and for the first 12 years of my life we had lead water pipes leading to our house. Everybody did back then. Lead doesn't rust like iron, and most cities throughout the nation used lead back then in their water pipes. Not ALL cities...just to stop an argument, but most small towns used the cheapest and most reliable metal in their pipes. We drank it with abandon, we bathed in it, played in it, drank gallons upon gallons of lemonade, and to no immediate, or proven, harm.

When I was in the black powder game...we would handle lead every day. Put the mini-balls in our mouths while we loaded the musket, breathed the fumes when we poured the lead, got it all over us for hours on end. Way worse exposure than what you are speaking of.

I'm not dead yet...so I recommend you not be concerned about such things. EVERYTHING is a "suspected carcinogen" if exposed in significant quantities. That's mostly because no one knows exactly what causes cancer. If they did we'd have a cure, or a program of prevention that would stop cancer in it's tracks. Truth is...cancer likely has lots of causes, so until then just don't swallow the pellets! Worry about other things you have no control over...like your wife or girlfriend!!! (snort!)



Kindly 'Ol Uncle 




 
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Putting/carrying lead pellets in my mouth in the 1960s definitely caused my dementia, forgetfulness, crankiness, and generally anti-social demeanor; even though I stopped putting lead in my mouth when it became common-knowledge it can have long-term health risks. By then I was putting things in my mouth that have short AND long-term health risks... but I'm sure my 'issues' are lead related!
 
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I wouldnt worry too much about it; if you do not notice any symptoms, any exposure you may have had will only fade further over time. The real risks of lead are neurological and developmental, not cancer. So if you were not pregnant at the time its likely not an issue... 

If you want to be sure you can get your current heavy metal levels tested; also your hairs will contain a history of past heavy metal exposure; though I do not know if thats a test you can easily get done. Either way it is not like it matters; intervention to lead exposure is only really effective when it is acute. If you do have noticably elevated lead now, literally all you can do is 'walk it off'; even if that may take years.

Also there isnt anything too special about your mouth. Its not like lead dissolves in your saliva rapidly. You might get more just by handling pellets and biting your nails. Or breathing in the fine particles worn off by your barrel. Personally I do not like handling lead in my house or garden. Even if im careful which I am often not, I dont want to micromanage where my baby crawls. But hey I used to put lead fishing weights on the line with my teeth as well and I am still here...
 
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I've done this a few times and usually a quick gulp of used motor oil is enough to remove the lead taste in my mouth.
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I don't remember lead tasting anything. I was talking about long term..as you get old, will it come back to hunt you. Just asking cause most tin have warning label it can cause cancer and do not put in mouth and wash hands after handling.
 
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the fastest way to get "Lead poisoning" is from a lead bullet being shot into you...😮

lead is ONE of the causes of the Roman Empire's demise. they used lead extensively. it has been theorized that many Roman rulers exhibited symptoms of lead poisoning.

eating utensils,drinking vessels, water storage, etc. were also extensively used in Europe.

california outlawed lead hunting bullets because a california condor had ingested some lead pellets from carrion and had high levels of lead in it's bloodstream.

that being said...how often are there cases of lead poisoning from handling lead shot, bullets or pellets?


 
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Smelting lead and inhaling the fumes is one of, if not the, most hazardous ways to come in contact with lead. Children ingesting lead paint is another. Handling lead or even putting pellets in you mouth is far less toxic, if toxic at all, than inhaling the fumes. If you ate the pellets, then you might have a problem! Although I wouldn’t recommend putting pellets in your mouth, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it either. Oh, and didn’t you know...everything causes cancer in California!

Stoti
 
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Heh. When I was a kid my bud down the street his father had his own heating and air business. He used to just pile up the old parts from jobs in the back of his yard and every now and then get rid of it when the pile got to big. Anyway my bud and I used to take the mercury in the old thermostats out by breaking the glass. We had a good amount of that stuff and we would do all sorts of stuff with it. Like put our hands in it or put it in our hands and poke at it. We would even through it at each other.
 
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