An 11-year-old girl recently died due to an allergic reaction after using a toothpaste containing a milk-derived protein. This heartbreaking incident took place in California, the United States.
The mother, Monique Altamirano, told Allergic Living that she had brought her youngest daughter, Denise Saldate, to the dentist on 4 April and she was prescribed with toothpaste to help with the spots on her teeth. The medicated toothpaste has been identified as MI Paste One and it was aimed at strengthening the girl’s tooth enamel.
Source: Allergic Living
That evening, Denise started using the toothpaste for the first time and immediately she sensed something was wrong. Her lips turned blue within seconds and she quickly ran to her mother for help as she knew it was an allergic reaction.
The mother placed her on her bed and ran to the living room to grab the EpiPen, which injects epinephrine into her body to narrow blood vessels and open airways in the lungs. Meanwhile, she asked another daughter to call for paramedics.
The mother even performed CPR on Denise and the paramedics took over once they arrived. The victim was subsequently rushed to the hospital but she didn’t make it. “She was my sunshine, she was the light of my life,” the grieving mother said.
Source: Allergic Living
For years, the mother had been reading the labels on toothpaste for milk derivatives but she never found one which used said derivatives. Due to this past experience, she believed that the toothpaste was safe for her dairy-allergic daughter, and didn’t check the label on this toothpaste.
“I did not think to look at the product ingredients. She was just excited to have her special toothpaste,” the mother added.
It was later revealed that there was a small warning printed on the front of the tube that says this product contains the ingredient Recaldent and milk protein.
Source: Yahoo
After this fatal incident, the mother has urged all food allergy families to always be on their toes when checking the labels as one exposure could potentially lead to a child’s death. “Don’t get comfortable, just because you’ve been managing (food allergy) for several years. You can’t get too comfortable or be embarrassed or afraid to ask and ensure that the ingredients are okay. Be that advocate for your child,” the mother said.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and hopefully, they have the strength to pull through this trying time. RIP Denise.
Also read: Dog Suffers Allergic Reaction After Owner Dyed It Pink, Ends Up Losing an Ear
