What is the most common route for poisonings?

• A. Inhalation
• B. Ingestion
• C. Injection
• D. Absorption

Answer: (B)

Understanding how poisons enter the body helps explain why ingestion is the most common route. The mouth is the easiest and most accessible entry point, so many exposures involve swallowing medications, household cleaners, cosmetics, or contaminated food. This is especially true for children, who often explore by putting things in their mouths, leading to a high incidence of accidental ingestions.

Inhalation is also a significant route for certain substances—gases, vapors, or aerosols—but it occurs less frequently overall than ingestion. Absorption through the skin and injection exposures happen too, but they are less common in general poisoning cases; dermal exposures tend to have slower or delayed effects, and injections are relatively rare and often tied to specific situations (like venom or certain drug administrations).

So, because swallowing substances is the most common and readily accessible pathway for exposure, ingestion stands as the leading route for poisonings.