A popular sour candy, Warheads, has caused a rare but painful tongue ulceration in a four year old who ate 10 of them.
Willow Wright, who lives in Melbourne, sustained an ulceration in her superficial tongue.
Her mother Kirsty took her immediately to her physician who reassured her the tissue would grow back and recommended acetaminophen for pain.
According to 9News:
Dental Association of Australia’s Jonathan Teoh said the lollies contained high levels of acid.”The sour warhead lollies, in particular, can be very dangerous,” he said.”Products with this level of acid or PH can cause chemical burns to cheeks and tongue.”
CVS lists the following ingredients in Warheads sour candy:
Sugar , Corn Syrup , Malic Acid , Citric Acid , Magnesium Stearate ( Processing Aid ) , Gum Acacia , Ascorbic Acid , Artificial Flavors , Carnauba Wax , Corn Starch , May Contain Blue 1 , Red 40 , and/or Yellow 5 .
According to Wikipedia, the candy has a pH of 1.6, meaning its very acidic. Acidic candy can erode tooth enamel and cause GI distress such as heartburn.
Warheads candy is manufactured by Impact Confections, who on their website warn those four and younger could be at risk of candy choking hazards.
As for the acidity, they state:
The acids we use include Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid and Malic Acid. Please be aware that all these ingredients are approved by the FDA for use in foods and are included at levels at or below regulatory limits.
We produce only high-quality products that meet all US Federal guidelines for PH levels and ingredients, and when eaten normally, consumers enjoy them with no issues. However, some people may have an increased sensitivity to these ingredients.
Years ago, the “Warheads Challenge” became popular where people would swallow as many Warheads as they could until their tongue would bleed.
Hence just because a food product has FDA-approved ingredients and is a popular candy, it does not mean it can’t be caustic to a sensitive mouth and tongue.
Therefore, sour candies should be consumed in moderation and followed by water or milk to neutralize the acid, minimizing enamel and mucosal damage for those at risk.
Dr. Daliah 
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