Stomatitis occurs in childhood quite often and is treated with local agents that can affect pathogens that affect the oral mucosa. One of these drugs is "Sodium tetraborate". This medicine is also called "borax" or "borax in glycerin". It is in demand for thrush in the mouth, it is cheap and has been proven by years of practice, but it should not be used in children without consulting a doctor.
Features of the drug
The medication is in the form of a viscous liquid that does not have any shade. It is usually clear, but slight opalescence is considered normal. The solution is produced by several pharmaceutical factories and is sold in glass orange bottles of 30 or 50 grams.
There are only two components in the drug. One of them is the active ingredient, which is called sodium tetraborate. Its concentration is 20%, that is, 100 g of the drug contains 20 g of this compound. The second ingredient is glycerin. There are no other substances in this solution.
Operating principle
The active substance of the solution, obtained as a result of the combination of boric acid with sodium, is capable of acting on pathogenic fungi, therefore, the drug is most in demand for fungal lesions of the mucous membranes. It helps to remove mycelium from surfaces affected by fungi, inhibits the reproduction of the pathogen and prevents it from attaching to the mucous membrane.
Sodium tetraborate also has a bacteriostatic effect, therefore the drug is also used for bacterial infection of the oral cavity as an antiseptic. Thanks to the addition of glycerin, the solution helps to reduce irritation and promotes faster healing of ulcers and sores in the mouth.
Indications
Borax is in demand in the practice of ENT doctors and dentists. The medication is often prescribed for stomatitis caused by fungi, less often if the disease was provoked by bacteria or viruses. This solution helps to cure pharyngitis, gingivitis, or tonsillitis. It can also be used to treat skin with diaper rash or pressure sores.
At what age is it allowed?
The instructions for "Sodium tetraborate" contain different information about the possibility of using such a solution in children. Some manufacturers indicate the age of up to 3 years in contraindications, others note that the remedy is not prescribed to children, and still others, in general, do not mention any age limits. In fact, doctors can prescribe treatment with such a solution even for babies, but the use of borax in childhood without the advice of a specialist is contraindicated.
Contraindications
Borax in glycerin is not used if the patient has a hypersensitivity to such a solution. Treatment is contraindicated for deep damage to the mucous membrane: if the inflammation is very serious, the doctor will prescribe other drugs that will affect its cause and speed up healing. In addition, "Sodium tetraborate" should not be taken orally, as it is dangerous if swallowed for both adults and babies. Outwardly, such a remedy is not used to treat damaged or very sensitive skin.
If the child has any dental disease, the use of borax should be monitored by a pediatric dentist.
Side effects
The solution can cause itching, hyperemia or other allergic reaction, in the event of which the drug should be canceled by finding an analogue for it. Other possible negative reactions other than sodium tetraborate are diarrhea, dermatitis, lethargy, muscle spasms, and if you use the medication for too long, it will lead to intoxication.
Application
If borax in glycerin is prescribed for the treatment of stomatitis, then several methods of applying the medicine to the inflamed areas are used. At the same time, to determine the dose, treatment time and frequency of application of "Sodium tetraborate" per day, the doctor takes into account the patient's age, state of health and the degree of damage to the oropharynx, that is, dosages and treatment regimens are selected individually.
Most often, spot treatment is prescribed. It involves applying borax using a gauze swab, which is moistened in the preparation. Before using borax, you need to thoroughly wash your hands and prepare the gauze. Lubricating the mouth with cotton swabs or sticks is not as convenient as using clean gauze to wrap around the index finger. When using this material, the foci of inflammation will be treated with the necessary pressure, allowing the drug to penetrate well into the affected tissues.
Often, the mucous membrane of the mouth is cleaned with a soda solution before being lubricated with "Tetraborat". To do this, a piece of bandage wrapped around a finger is dipped in a soda solution and the inflamed areas are rubbed. If there are crusts in the mouth, then they are carefully removed after softening with some kind of oily solution, for example, sea buckthorn oil.
After carefully treating all inflamed areas, the child should rinse his mouth. The manipulation is carried out twice to three times a day, and the duration of treatment is most often from 3 to 7 days. In a similar way, crusts and plaques are removed from ulcers with stomatitis, as well as cleansing the pharynx with angina or pharyngitis. In addition, this treatment helps prepare the oral cavity for other therapeutic measures.
The second common way to use "Sodium tetraborate", which is in demand in older children, is mouthwash. For them, a teaspoon of the medicine is poured into chilled boiled water, taken in a volume of 200 ml, and a tablespoon of salt is also added. You can also limit yourself to an aqueous solution, for the preparation of which they take only a glass of water and a dessert spoon of borax in glycerin. Rinsing with such means is carried out once or twice a day.
If a medicine is prescribed for a baby with stomatitis, then sometimes mothers are interested in whether it is possible to apply borax to a pacifier, as is done with some other medicines for thrush in the mouth. This method of using this solution is prohibited, because the drug swallowed with saliva is harmful to the child's body.
Overdose
Too frequent treatment with "sodium tetraborate" or accidental use of the medicine inside can harm the health of the child, so the product must be kept out of the reach of children.
In case of an overdose, you should rinse the stomach and seek medical attention. The drug is very dangerous if swallowed in large doses, as it can cause vomiting, convulsions, kidney damage, dehydration and other disorders. If the poisoning is severe, hemodialysis and intravenous infusion of symptomatic agents are indicated.
Drug interactions
The solution is not used together with clotrimazole preparations and other antifungal agents, as well as drugs that contain phenol or boric acid. Borax is also not used if the child is prescribed corticosteroids.
Terms of sale and storage
Any pharmacy can sell Sodium Tetraborate without a prescription, but examination of the child before using such a remedy is advisable. The price of the package is influenced by the volume of the solution in the bottle and the manufacturer, but such a medication is inexpensive (about 20 rubles per 30 g).
Borax should be stored at room temperature by placing the medicine bottle in a place where neither high humidity nor sunlight will act on the solution.
The shelf life of the drug is usually 3 years and is indicated on the bottle. If it has expired, you cannot use such a solution to treat inflamed areas.
Reviews
The use of borax for stomatitis and tonsillitis is mostly well received. This medicine is considered a proven remedy for years, which accelerates the healing of ulcers, removes plaque and helps to recover faster from thrush. Its advantages also include cheapness and availability. Among the disadvantages of the drug, the danger of swallowing is usually mentioned, and in some children, the medication has caused allergies.
Analogs
If you want to replace "Sodium tetraborate" with a similar medicine, then Your doctor may prescribe the following medications.
- Vinylin. This liquid contains polyvinox and is an antiseptic, which is prescribed for dermatitis, diaper rash, abrasions, chickenpox, stomatitis and other diseases. In children, the medication is used as directed by a doctor at any age.
- "Hexoral". This mint-scented solution acts thanks to hexetidine and is in demand for various pathologies of the mouth and throat. In childhood, it is used from 3 years old. The drug is also available in the form of a spray.
- Miramistin. Such an antiseptic is safe even for a newborn and is often used both for treating the skin and for instilling the nose, ears, or gargling. It effectively destroys various types of microorganisms and stimulates local immunity.
- "Candide". This clotrimazole-based solution can be used at any age. It is prescribed for lesions of the oral mucosa with candida.
For sodium tetraborate for stomatitis and its use in adults and children, see the following video.
