Using cough lozenges incorrectly can have serious consequences.

Many people habitually call cough lozenges "candy" because of their sweet and pleasant taste. However, in my opinion, it's not advisable to call lozenges "candy lozenges." Calling medicine "candy" easily leads people to mistakenly believe it's something that can be used indiscriminately.

There have been many reports worldwide of children mistaking medicine for candy (many parents call it that because they think it will make it easier for children to take the medicine), secretly stealing and using the medicine, and suffering from poisoning. For medicine, the word "candy" should not be used; it's best to call it by its proper name, "medicine."

Lozenges are medications that are not swallowed but are held in the mouth or placed under the tongue to dissolve, allowing the active ingredient to be released and absorbed through the oral or sublingual mucosa into the bloodstream or to exert its effect locally. This form of medication is also suitable for patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets (such as those with vomiting or peptic ulcers...).

In the past, the pharmaceutical industry produced sugar-coated tablets (now rarely used), and because they tasted sweet, many people thought they could be sucked on like candy. In reality, only tablets specifically labeled for sucking should be sucked; other types of tablets should not be sucked. Some medications, if sucked on, not only reduce the effectiveness of treatment but can also cause adverse effects. For example, with enteric-coated aspirin pH8 tablets, sucking on the tablet can damage the coating, releasing the aspirin in the stomach and harming the gastric mucosa.

Cough lozenges typically contain active ingredients such as menthol, eucalyptus oil, or cough suppressants like dextromethorphan. There are also traditional Chinese medicine lozenges, such as those containing expectorants like sucrose. These lozenges have a sweet taste due to the use of sweeteners like sucrose or artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame) for those avoiding sugar or with diabetes.

We need to know that coughing is a common symptom. Children, in particular, are very susceptible to coughing due to respiratory infections and ear, nose, and throat diseases. We also need to know that coughing is a physiological reflex that protects the body. Coughing, manifested by forceful exhalation, helps to clear the airways, expel phlegm, secretions, or foreign objects that have entered the respiratory tract, and helps the respiratory cilia function properly.

Colds during the rainy season easily cause coughs in both adults and children. Some experts recommend simply keeping warm, maintaining a nutritious diet, and drinking more fluids, especially orange juice or lemon juice, to boost immunity. These can often resolve on their own within a few days without medication. Cough lozenges can also be used at this time (only for adults and relatively older children).

When using cough lozenges, please note: Wash your hands thoroughly before and after putting the lozenge in your mouth; let the lozenge dissolve slowly, avoiding chewing. For children, if cough lozenges don't help after a few days, take them to see a doctor; if you suspect an infection, you must take them to a doctor and not give them cough lozenges.

According to Giadinh.net