Doctors at the AHEPA Hospital in Thessaloniki revealed yesterday that they recently had to remove a tongue stud from the stomach of a 16-year-old after the teenager swallowed it, as they warned parents to be on the lookout for dangerous substances or objects that children could put into their mouths.

The 16-year-old girl went to the hospital’s emergency room complaining of stomach pains the day after she swallowed the tongue stud. Doctors were amazed to see that the teenager had replaced the stud with a new one.

The medics said that one in three sharp objects that are swallowed can cause serious complications.

Doctors also warned parents that they have to be vigilant about what their children swallow, as 90 percent of child deaths are caused by poisoning, according to an AHEPA study.