this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2026
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If lead is "maybe not a good idea", the rest of these must be really bad ideas. I like that there's still 2 more levels above lead. I assume the second level just explodes or vaporises you instantly or something.
Licking lead once is completely fine, just don't make a habit of it
Come on, it can't be that bad if we build water pipes with it
;^)
Some of these would explode on contact with your tongue, yes.
And from what I can see, many of them are only rated "you really shouldn't". Which leads me to consider what the next step up in severity could possibly be.
Your own flesh burns yourself to death.
Admittedly unpleasant.
Solid lead isn't really that dangerous. Like with a lot of other toxins, it's mostly only dangerous when ingested or inhaled. Licking a block or sheet of lead would cause a negligible amount of lead consumption.
While I'm not saying it was a great idea or anything, they used to make children's toys out of cast lead, and as long as little Timmy didn't bite his toy soldier's head off and swallow it they're perfectly safe, even if he was sucking on it sometimes. Hell, even if he did swallow it, he'd probably pass it with no issues.
Lead is dangerous when aerosolized, like with leaded gasoline, or in powder form, like with lead paint chips, because in these forms it is more easily absorbed by the body. Depending on the location, people can have lead bullets literally inside their bodies for decades without ever suffering from heavy metal poisoning (and when heavy metal poisoning does occur, it can take years to accumulate to dangerous levels).
Same goes for lots of other stuff - plaster, fiberglass, asbestos.