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There are dozens of products that you use every day that you don't think twice about, but it turns out that some of them can actually be dangerous, and in rare cases, even deadly. It's a message one California mom is trying to raise awareness about after the tragic death of her daughter.
To help strengthen the enamel on 11-year-old Denise's teeth, her mother, Monique Altamirano, began to use a toothpaste that the girl's dentist recommended. Shockingly, it wound up killing her daughter. Denise, who was severely allergic to dairy, suffered a deadly reaction to the toothpaste because it contained dairy.
Being acutely aware of her daughter's allergy, Monique was always overly conscientious about what Denise ingested. She would even read the labels on toothpaste too, but saw they never contained dairy products so she stopped checking. However, MI Paste One, the toothpaste suggested by her dentist, contained Recaldent, an ingredient derived from milk protein.
Monique spoke to Allergic Living about what happened, describing how Denise was "so excited to use her 'special toothpaste,'" but immediately after she did, her lips started to turn blue and she couldn't breathe. Recognizing the symptoms, Denise told her mom she was having an allergic reaction. Monique administered Denise's EpiPen but it didn't help. As the reaction worsened, Monique had to resort to CPR while having her other daughter call 911. An ambulance rushed Denise to the hospital where sadly, she died two days later.
The mourning mother stated, "Contrary to what everyone's telling me, I feel like I failed her." Now, she's hoping to spread the word to other parents of allergy sufferers about potential hidden dangers in everyday items. Monique said, "We can’t bring Denise back but we can help others in her name. We are so grateful to people who take allergies seriously. Denise wanted to change the world, but it's heartbreaking how she's doing it."
Monique's most important advice for parents of kids with allergies is: "Read everything. Don't get comfortable, just because you've been managing for several years. You can't get comfortable or be embarrassed or afraid to ask and ensure that ingredients are okay. Be that advocate for your child."