Opinions on putting an ALuminum whistle into your mouth

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 6:58 pm

Hi,
I have been worrying about Aluminum and a Google search turned up
that it is a TOXIC metal. So why would we put it into our mouth?
Altheimers patients have high quanties of it in their systems.
We were told way back in the '80's that we should't cook with the stuff
even.
So why would whistle makers try to sell us aluminum mouthpieces?
Opinions?
Lolly

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:01 pm

It's not all that toxic. If you cook a lot of food in aluminum pots, a moderate amount of the metal may leach into the food. The amount of time that an aluminum mouthpiece is actually in your mouth is pretty short, and I wouldn't really worry about it. If you have an aluminum whistle and really are worried about it, you could coat the mouthpiece with clear lacquer (nail polish) or some sort of tape.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:04 pm

I'm of the opinion that the aluminum/Alzheimers connection is highly over-touted.

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:15 pm

brewerpaul wrote:If you have an aluminum whistle and really are worried about it, you could coat the mouthpiece with clear lacquer (nail polish) or some sort of tape.

I'd be more worried about lacquer or nail polish in my mouth than aluminum... seriously, the amount you'd ingest from an aluminum whistle mouthpiece even over a long period of time would be harmless.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:20 pm

Well, I put an aluminum whistle in my mouth, and it killed me.

Onager · Post by **Onager** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:28 pm

I'm of the opinion that it is completely unfounded. Please check out this link and let's hear no more about it.
http://www.sciam.com/askexpert_question ... D7&catID=3

*puts aluminum whistle in mouth*

*gets hit by lightning*

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:36 pm

O.K., I'll put some clear nail polish on it and forget about it.
My sweet hubby of 32 years was in a panic thinking he would
loose me to Altheimers!!

Thanks, Lolly

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:44 pm

Ogga Tay......Iga pupth thath uwhissthill inna ma mouf wiffa tha naiwl powish, ana now ma tounga falla offa.

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:47 pm

Well, I have it on my nails all the time and chew it off when I'm nervous
and I'm sure all these hairy whorts on my nose have nothing to do with it,
VommitBunny!

Lolly

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:16 pm

The original study that observed high concentrations of aluminum in Alzheimer's sufferers was withdrawn. Turned out the aluminum was in the stain that they had used to look at the slides in the microscope. I'm not too sure what's happened since, but I'm under the impression that they're assuming the link is weak if not nonexistent.

AFAIK, aluminum is only classified as poisonous in fine powder form. In that form it's explosive, too, BTW. I've used it in this form and neither died of aluminum poisoning nor blown myself up. Of course, huge amounts of it can kill you, but more people die from water poisoning every year (yes, there is such a thing, and many distance runners die of it every year) than die of aluminum poisoning. Vitamin A is another thing that poisons more people than aluminum.

In bulk form aluminum forms a very hard and somewhat impervious oxide layer. To add to what Paul said, if you cook with an aluminum pan at all, you're getting more aluminum from that (esp if you cook anything with a pH that's even a little basic or somewhat acidic) than you'll ever get from the beak of a whistle.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:33 pm

I've heard you won't get lead poisoning from contact with lead usually either. Breathing in the dust is the danger. I'm not 100% sure on that though. That reminds me, I saw an old Gen on Ebay the other day. It looked like pretty much the whole thing was brass. Didn't they have lead fipples in them?

rebl_rn · Post by **rebl_rn** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:29 pm

vomitbunny wrote:I've heard you won't get lead poisoning from contact with lead usually either. Breathing in the dust is the danger. I'm not 100% sure on that though.

Breathing in the lead dust is one way to get lead poisoned; the most common, though, at least for kids (who are most at risk for lead poisoning) is by ingestion. Not just eating paint chips, though that does happen (supposedly lead paint tastes sweet) but more commonly by getting lead dust on their hands, from failing lead paint, and then putting their hands in their mouths. Lead-based paint, if it is intact, is NOT hazardous, it's when it fails and makes the dust that it is.

I don't know about the Gen's mouthpieces, though I wouldn't think that lead would make a good mouthpiece, as it's so soft. But if the mouthpiece is made of brass, then technically there's lead in it. But, again, it wouldn't be dangerous as long as the brass, and therefore the lead, remained intact.

Beth (State of Wisconsin certified Lead Hazard Investigator)

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:33 pm

Well, my opinion IS stupid and wrong....

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:34 pm

lollycross wrote:Well, I have it on my nails all the time and chew it off when I'm nervous
and I'm sure all these hairy whorts on my nose have nothing to do with it,
VommitBunny!
Lolly

Whort? Whort did you say?

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 10:42 pm

just kidding, VB, just kidding...at my age I don't need anything else....
lolly