Swallowing Essential Oils: What Poison Centers and Regulators Say
Why this site gives no advice to swallow essential oils, what poison-center and hospital reports describe, and where to get help if someone has swallowed one.
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If someone has swallowed an essential oil, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). Call 911 for collapse, a seizure or trouble breathing. [1][2] Have the bottle with you. Outside the US, see Poison Help by Country.
Why "natural" does not settle it
Poison Control notes that many people think essential oils are harmless because they are natural and long used. [1] The FDA makes the same point about skin: many plants contain materials that are toxic, irritating or likely to cause allergic reactions. [3] Poison Control adds that it can be hard to know what species, concentration or contaminants are in a bottle. [1]What poison centers and hospital reports describe
These are reports of harm, not advice. Each concerns a particular oil, so none transfers to other oils.| Oil or product | What the source reported | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Camphor | Poison Control says even a small amount is dangerous if swallowed, and seizures can begin within minutes [1] | Evidence of harm |
| Wintergreen (methyl salicylate) | Poison Control says it is very dangerous if more than a tiny amount is swallowed [1]. A hospital report states one teaspoon (5 ml) equals about 21.7 adult aspirin tablets of salicylate, and that as little as 4 ml in a child can be fatal [4] | Evidence of harm |
| Eucalyptus | Poison Control says swallowing can cause seizures [1] | Evidence of harm |
| Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) | A 17-month-old who swallowed less than 10 ml developed unsteadiness and drowsiness [5] | Evidence of harm (single case report) |
| Pennyroyal | Poison Control says swallowed pennyroyal oil is highly poisonous to the liver [1]. See Pennyroyal Oil: Why It Is Dangerous | Evidence of harm |
| Sage | Swallowing more than a very small amount has caused seizures in children [1] | Evidence of harm |
| Lavender | An 18-month-old who swallowed a small amount used as a home fragrance became very drowsy and confused, and recovered in about 6 hours [1] | Evidence of harm (single case report) |
Children
Children are the main group in the reports we read. In Toronto, poison-center callers reported 251 children who had swallowed an essential oil or a product containing one. The main symptoms in published case reports were vomiting, lethargy, coma and seizures, and one child died. [6] A Melbourne hospital series of 109 young children found effects in 59%, with 28% having reduced alertness. [7] Poison Control says children may be more susceptible because of thin skin and immature livers. [1]The data are not uniform. A Queensland hospital series of 41 children found 80% had no symptoms, and amount swallowed did not match symptoms. [8] The authors concluded eucalyptus oil may be less toxic than once believed. [8] That does not give a safe amount, and a later Melbourne analysis advised medical assessment after swallowing. [9] See Essential Oils Around Babies and Children.
Breathing it in the lungs
If a person chokes while trying to swallow an oil, some can enter the lungs. Poison Control says aspirating an essential oil can cause pneumonia. [1]What about capsules in trials?
Some products swallowed in research are pharmaceutical-type capsules, not bottled oil. NCCIH says a small amount of research suggests enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules may improve IBS symptoms in adults. [10] That is a trial finding about one product, labeled promising but limited. It is not advice to swallow oil. See Peppermint Oil Capsules for IBS.What regulators say
In the sources we read, the FDA page on aromatherapy covers intended use and drug claims, not swallowing. [3] We did not find a regulator page on drinking essential oils in water, so we describe none. See Who Regulates Essential Oils?.What to do after a swallowing
- Call Poison Help (1-800-222-1222, US) or use the online tool Poison Control describes. Expert guidance is described as free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. [1]
- Call 911 for collapse, a seizure or trouble breathing.
- Read Essential Oil Poisoning: What to Do First and What to Tell Poison Help When You Call.
Frequently asked questions
Can you ingest essential oils?
This site gives no advice to do so. Poison Control says misuse can cause serious poisoning. [1] Some oils have caused seizures, liver injury or death in published reports. [1][6]
Is it safe to put essential oils in drinking water?
We found no source we read that supports it. Poison Control tells people who swallow an essential oil or a product containing one to call a poison center. [1] Proper evidence not found for a safe amount; we searched PubMed and poison-center pages.
Are essential oils safe to swallow if they are food grade or labeled pure?
Proper evidence not found. The sources we read do not describe a label that makes swallowing safe. NCCIH says tea tree oil should not be swallowed. [2] See Quality and Labels.
Why are peppermint oil capsules sold if oils are dangerous to swallow?
They are a different product type. NCCIH describes enteric-coated capsules studied for IBS, and says peppermint oil alone may worsen indigestion in some people. [10] Ask a pharmacist or clinician about any capsule.
What if a child touched or licked an oil?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 and describe what happened. Poison Control advises calling when an essential oil or a product containing one is swallowed. [1]
References
- Poison Control (poison.org). Essential oils: Poisonous when misused. Reviewed by clinical toxicologist and pharmacist authors; no date shown on page. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Tea Tree Oil. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Aromatherapy. Content current as of 09/08/2023. Read 2026-10-22.
- Botma M, Colquhoun-Flannery W, Leighton S. Laryngeal oedema caused by accidental ingestion of Oil of Wintergreen. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2001 (case report). Read 2026-10-22.
- Del Beccaro MA. Melaleuca oil poisoning in a 17-month-old. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1995 (single case report). Read 2026-10-22.
- Flaman Z, Pellechia-Clarke S, Bailey B, McGuigan M. Unintentional exposure of young children to camphor and eucalyptus oils. Paediatr Child Health. 2001 (poison-centre chart review and literature search). Read 2026-10-22.
- Tibballs J. Clinical effects and management of eucalyptus oil ingestion in infants and young children. Med J Aust. 1995 (hospital case series, Melbourne). Read 2026-10-22.
- Webb NJ, Pitt WR. Eucalyptus oil poisoning in childhood: 41 cases in south-east Queensland. J Paediatr Child Health. 1993 (case-note analysis). Read 2026-10-22.
- Day LM, Ozanne-Smith J, Parsons BJ, Dobbin M, Tibballs J. Eucalyptus oil poisoning among young children: mechanisms of access and the potential for prevention. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1997 (surveillance data and parent survey). Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Peppermint Oil: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-22.