Kids On TikTok Are Getting Hospitalized For Eating Liquid Nitrogen

Whether it was bell bottoms in the 1970s or Walkman players in the 1990s, every decade has had its fair share of trends, ranging from the comedic to the downright bizarre. But social media has played its fair share in introducing certain trends that are downright dangerous.

You may remember the infamous "cinnamon challenge," which involved swallowing a spoonful of straight cinnamon powder, Forbes explains. Although cinnamon is a harmless, common spice, eating a spoonful of it "raw" could lead to the contestant suffering a choking attack, which could lead to fatal consequences (per Vice). The "Hot Water Challenge" had participants toss pots of boiling hot water outside in freezing weather, with the expectation that the super-cold air would instantly freeze the scalding water. This challenge, for obvious reasons, lead to more than a few people being admitted to burn units after being hit with scalding water (per CNN). Children, being at an impressionable age, may find these kinds of things more exciting than most and participate in them without thinking of the consequences.

One certain trend in Indonesia involves TikTok and children swallowing the chemical substance known as liquid nitrogen, per The Guardian. 

Liquid nitrogen is a chemical used in industrial or medical purposes. The BBC explains that liquid nitrogen's ability to "superfreeze" anything makes it useful as a coolant for computers and machinery (and in the medical field by freezing off warts). The chemical's powerful properties make it dangerous if handled incorrectly. 

According to The Guardian, more than 20 children have been injured after doing the "Dragon's Breath Challenge," in which participants eat a confectionary known as "chiki ngebul" that has been infused with liquid nitrogen. If someone were to eat the candies, they would be able to "breathe smoke," thanks to the freezing vapor of the liquid nitrogen. Videos depict young people, ranging from teenagers to even toddlers, puffing the vapor after eating the candies. But upon ingesting the treats before the nitrogen evaporates, the extreme properties of the chemical could lead to severe chemical burns within the esophagus and stomach. 

Liquid nitrogen has been used in the culinary world in cocktails, but in those cases, it's handled by people with the proper knowledge on how to handle it safely. Even before the TikTok trend, the FDA issued warnings about eating liquid nitrogen in 2018, per USA Today.