Your beautiful four-month-old baby, who has been the most perfect little angel since birth, has suddenly turned into an irritable, drooling little ogre! He is now keeping you up half the night, and needs to be held and nursed all day long. Welcome to the wonderful, albeit painful, world of teething! You’re embarking on a journey. Transitioning from that gummy grin to a mouthful of gleaming teeth is a rite of passage that can take your little one three years to complete. But before you get on this ride with your child here is something you need to hear!
On April 7 the FDA issued a safety announcement warning parents and caregivers not to give OTC gel or liquid benzocaine products, such as Anbesol and Orajel, to children under 2 years old unless directed by a physician. The use of benzocaine products may cause a rare, but serious and possibly fatal condition where the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced. This condition is called methemoglobinemia. In the most severe cases, methemoglobinemia can result in death.
The FDA reports that there have been 21 reported cases of methemoglobinemia after the use of OTC benzocaine gels and liquids. Eleven of the 21 cases occurred in children two years of age or younger who were treated with benzocaine gel for teething.
Here is a List of OTC Benzocaine Products* to avoid!
Given the seriousness of the cases of methemoglobinemia, FDA will continue to evaluate the safety of benzocaine products and will update the public when additional information is available.
What are alternative methods for reducing pain from teething?
- Gently rub or massage the child’s gums with your clean finger.
- A chilled wash cloth is also a wonderful teething tool.
- Provide your child with teething toys that do not require chilling. Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether
is a popular teething toy that is BPA-free, phthalate-free and PVC-free. However, a recent report questions Sophie’s safety.
If these methods do not provide relief from teething pain, contact a healthcare professional to identify other treatments. List of OTC Benzocaine Products to avoid* Please share this page with your friends and family! Thank you!
Here’s another article on the safety of teething gels, and one mother’s story about dangers of Bonjela.
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Hello! Just want to say thank you for this interesting article! =) Peace, Joy.