Washing out mouth with soap
Encyclopedia
Washing out mouth with soap is a form of physical punishment
. It is most commonly administered to children for actions such as cursing
, lying
, or talking back. It is considered symbolic of cleansing out a dirty mouth but is used primarily because some people feel that the foul taste of soap is an effective deterrent to unacceptable behavior. It was a common method of punishment in the first half of the 20th century but has declined in popularity significantly since the 1960s. Historically, it has been practiced primarily in the United Kingdom
, Australia
and United States
. Today it is a controversial practice, with some parents, child experts, and other persons who spend time around children practicing and/or advocating for it, others refusing the practice, and some even opposing its use by others. Opposition to this punishment has grown in recent decades as its use has declined.
(or another cleansing agent) inside a person's mouth so that the person will taste it, inducing what most people consider an unpleasant experience. One of the most common methods uses a bar of soap which is placed in a person's mouth; often the person is then forced to hold it for a period of time and/or swallow it. Liquid soap, dishwashing liquid, or certain other liquid or solid cleanser
s may be used; in the case of liquids the person may be forced to swallow or to swish the liquid in his or her mouth for a period of time. The used product may also be brushed onto a person's teeth and/or oral soft tissues using a toothbrush. Washing out mouth with soap is generally not intended to cause death or lasting harm; therefore agents which are more than slightly toxic
or caustic, such as automatic dishwasher detergents, generally are not used.
methods that are not considered violent
or humiliating
. Additionally, soap
s and detergent
s can have potentially harmful results, especially if swallow
ed, including vomiting
, diarrhea
, irritation of the lining of the mouth and digestive tract, and in rare instances, pulmonary aspiration
. A teacher in Rochester
, New York
was suspended in 2004 for washing out the mouth of a student for using vulgar language, but was reinstated after parents and family members of her students signed a petition supporting her actions. In 2009, a mother in Palm Bay, Florida
and her boyfriend were arrested for washing her daughter's mouth out with soap after taking the child to the hospital because of vomiting.
Physical punishment
Physical punishment is any form of penalty in a judicial, educational or domestic setting that takes a physical form, by the infliction on the offender of pain, injury, discomfort or humiliation...
. It is most commonly administered to children for actions such as cursing
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
, lying
Lying
Lying may refer to:* Lie — a deliberate untruth.* Lying a 2011 book by neuroscientist Sam Harris* Lying — a horizontal position* Lying — a 2006 film* Lying — a song by Australian band, Amy Meredith...
, or talking back. It is considered symbolic of cleansing out a dirty mouth but is used primarily because some people feel that the foul taste of soap is an effective deterrent to unacceptable behavior. It was a common method of punishment in the first half of the 20th century but has declined in popularity significantly since the 1960s. Historically, it has been practiced primarily in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Today it is a controversial practice, with some parents, child experts, and other persons who spend time around children practicing and/or advocating for it, others refusing the practice, and some even opposing its use by others. Opposition to this punishment has grown in recent decades as its use has declined.
Procedure
The essence of washing out mouth with soap is to place soapSoap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
(or another cleansing agent) inside a person's mouth so that the person will taste it, inducing what most people consider an unpleasant experience. One of the most common methods uses a bar of soap which is placed in a person's mouth; often the person is then forced to hold it for a period of time and/or swallow it. Liquid soap, dishwashing liquid, or certain other liquid or solid cleanser
Cleanser
A cleanser is a product used to cleanse something, such as a detergent or industrial cleaning agent.A popular type of cleanser is a facial care product that is used to remove make-up, dead skin cells, oil, dirt, and other types of pollutants from the skin of the face...
s may be used; in the case of liquids the person may be forced to swallow or to swish the liquid in his or her mouth for a period of time. The used product may also be brushed onto a person's teeth and/or oral soft tissues using a toothbrush. Washing out mouth with soap is generally not intended to cause death or lasting harm; therefore agents which are more than slightly toxic
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
or caustic, such as automatic dishwasher detergents, generally are not used.
Controversy
This punishment still has advocates today, even though its use has diminished considerably in recent years in favour of disciplineDiscipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
methods that are not considered violent
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
or humiliating
Humiliation
Humiliation is the abasement of pride, which creates mortification or leads to a state of being humbled or reduced to lowliness or submission. It can be brought about through bullying, intimidation, physical or mental mistreatment or trickery, or by embarrassment if a person is revealed to have...
. Additionally, soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
s and detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
s can have potentially harmful results, especially if swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
ed, including vomiting
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
, diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, irritation of the lining of the mouth and digestive tract, and in rare instances, pulmonary aspiration
Pulmonary aspiration
Pulmonary aspiration is the entry of material from the oropharynx or gastrointestinal tract into the larynx and lower respiratory tract...
. A teacher in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was suspended in 2004 for washing out the mouth of a student for using vulgar language, but was reinstated after parents and family members of her students signed a petition supporting her actions. In 2009, a mother in Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,786 on 1 July 2008; it is the most populous city in the county...
and her boyfriend were arrested for washing her daughter's mouth out with soap after taking the child to the hospital because of vomiting.
See also
- HotsaucingHotsaucingHot saucing is the practice of disciplining a child by putting hot sauce in the child's mouth. It is often considered child abuse, but remains popular with some United States parents.-Popularity:...
- Castor oilCastor oilCastor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean . Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with mild or no odor or taste. Its boiling point is and its density is 961 kg/m3...
- PunishmentPunishmentPunishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
- School disciplineSchool disciplineSchool discipline is the system of rules, punishments and behavioral strategies appropriate to the regulation of children and the maintenance of order in schools. Its aim is to control the students actions and behavior....
- Detergents
- ParentingParentingParenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
- Child disciplineChild disciplineChild discipline is the set of rules, rewards and punishments administered to teach self control, increase desirable behaviors and decrease undesirable behaviors in children. In its most general sense, discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a disciple. To discipline thus means to...