Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and exists in numerous forms. It is a shiny, silver-white metal that is a liquid at room temperature. It is used in glass thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs and some electrical switches.

You can be exposed through skin contact, breathing air, drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated with mercury. You can be exposed due to a spill from a broken thermometer, a damaged electrical switches or a released from dental amalgam fillings.

If exposed, you can exhibit the symptoms of being irritable, nervousness, tremors, changes in vision, deafness, loss of sensation and trouble with memory. If there are temporary exposures to a high level of metallic mercury vapors, it can cause lung damage, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Kids exposed to high levels of metallic mercury can exhibit symptoms of poisoning: swollen red gums, increased saliva, weight loss, diarrhea and/or stomach pain, cramping in both legs and arms.

You can protect your kids by teaching them not to play with the shiny, silver liquids. Check any medicines or herbal remedies that may contain mercury. If a thermometer breaks, do not try to vacuum or blot it up with a cloth or towel; that will only spread the mercury and break it up into smaller beads, making it more difficult to find and remove. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that pregnant women and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant limit their consumption of shark and swordfish to no more than one serving per month.

If you think that you have been exposed directly to metallic mercury, remove your clothing carefully and wash your entire body with soap and water. Place your contaminated clothes into a plastic bag and seal. Place the bag into a second plastic bag and seal. Call 911 for medical attention and removal of the contaminated items. Do not drive yourself to the hospital as you may become very ill on your way.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)