I never put mercury in my mouth but I played with it with bare hands quite frequently as a kid. It's dangerous if it gets hot and you breathe in the gas or if y

I never put mercury in my mouth but I played with it with bare hands quite frequently as a kid. It's dangerous if it gets hot and you breathe in the gas or if you drink it or get it in an open wound, but I always avoided those things. Lead's the same way: Hold it in the hand, don't ingest it, wash your hands afterward and there's nothing to worry about.