Anesth

Dental anesthetics are used in the mouth to relieve pain or irritation caused by many conditions. Examples include toothache, teething, and sores in or around the mouth, such as cold sores, canker sores, and fever blisters. Also, some of these medicines are used to relieve pain or irritation caused by dentures or other dental appliances, including braces. However, if you have an infection or a lot of large sores in your mouth, check with your medical doctor or dentist before using a dental anesthetic because other kinds of treatment may be needed. Also, the chance of side effects is increased.

One form of lidocaine is also used to relieve pain caused by certain throat conditions. Some forms of benzocaine, benzocaine and menthol combination, and dyclonine are also used to relieve sore throat pain.

Some of these medicines are available only with your medical doctor's or dentist's prescription. Others are available without a prescription; however, your medical doctor or dentist may have special instructions on the proper use and dose for your medical problem. Some nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) aerosols, gels, liquids, or ointments that contain a local anesthetic are not meant to be used in or around the mouth. If you have any questions about which product to use, check with your pharmacist.

Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of many local anesthetics. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment, especially with lidocaine. Nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) products containing local anesthetics are not likely to cause problems. However, elderly people should be especially careful not to use more medicine than directed on the package label, unless otherwise directed by a medical doctor or a dentist.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking any of these medicines, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Acecainide
• Amiodarone
• Bretylium
• Dofetilide
• Ibutilide
• Sotalol

The dose medicines in this class will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of these medicines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For benzocaine

• For dental paste dosage form:
  • For sores in and around the mouth, sore gums, or pain caused by dental appliances:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 6 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of the medicine to the painful areas.
    • Children up to 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For film-forming gel, liquid, and ointment dosage forms:
  • For sores in and around the mouth, toothache, sore gums, or pain caused by dental appliances:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 2 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of medicine to the painful areas up to four times a day.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For gel dosage form:
  • For sores in and around the mouth, toothache, sore gums, or pain caused by dental appliances:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 2 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of medicine to the painful areas up to four times a day.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
  • For teething pain:
    • Children 2 years of age and older—Apply any strength of benzocaine gel to sore gums up to four times a day.
    • Infants and children 4 months to 2 years of age—Apply a small amount of the 7.5% or 10% benzocaine gel to sore gums up to four times a day.
    • Infants up to 4 months of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For lozenge dosage form:
  • For pain in the mouth or throat:
    • Adults and teenagers—One lozenge, dissolved slowly in the mouth every two hours as needed.
    • Children 2 years of age and older—One children's strength (5-milligram [mg]) lozenge, dissolved slowly in the mouth every two hours as needed.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For aerosol spray dosage form:
  • For pain in the mouth:
    • Adults and teenagers—One or 2 sprays, pointed at the sore places. Each spray should last about one second.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your dentist.

For benzocaine and menthol combination

• For lozenge dosage form:
  • For pain in the mouth or throat:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 2 years of age and older—One lozenge, dissolved slowly in the mouth every two hours as needed.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.

For benzocaine and phenol combination

• For gel dosage form:
  • For sores in and around the mouth, teething, toothache, sore gums, or pain caused by dental appliances:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 2 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of medicine to the painful areas up to four times a day.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For liquid dosage form:
  • For sores in and around the mouth, toothache, sore gums, or pain caused by dental appliances:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children 2 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of medicine to the painful areas up to four times a day.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.

For dyclonine

• For lozenge dosage form:
  • For pain in the mouth or throat:
    • Adults and teenagers—One 2-milligram (mg) or 3-mg lozenge, dissolved slowly in the mouth every two hours as needed.
    • Children 2 years of age and older—One children's strength (1.2-mg) lozenge, dissolved slowly in the mouth every two hours as needed.
    • Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.

For lidocaine

• For dental liquid dosage form (e.g., Zilactin-L):
  • For sores on the lips and around the mouth:
    • Adults and teenagers—Apply to sores every one or two hours for the first three days. Then apply as needed.
    • Children—Dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For dental ointment dosage form:
  • For gum pain:
    • Adults—Apply a small amount of medicine to the sore places. Do not apply the ointment directly to dentures, braces, or other dental appliances, unless your dentist has directed you to do so.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For aerosol spray dosage form:
  • For pain in the mouth:
    • Adults and teenagers—Two sprays, pointed at the sore places. Do not use more than twenty sprays a day.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your health care professional.
• For viscous (very thick) solution dosage form (e.g., Xylocaine Viscous):
  • For pain in the mouth:
    • Adults and teenagers—One tablespoonful of medicine (or less), swished around in the mouth, then spit out. Or, apply a total of 1 tablespoonful (or less) to the sore places with a cotton-tipped applicator. This medicine should not be used more often than every three hours.
    • Children 3 years of age and older—Apply a small amount of medicine to the sore places with a cotton-tipped applicator. The largest amount that can be used must be determined by your health care professional.
    • Infants and children up to 3 years of age—Apply a total of one-fourth of a teaspoonful (or less) to the sore places with a cotton-tipped applicator. This medicine should not be used more often than every three hours.
  • For sore throat pain:
    • Adults and teenagers—One tablespoonful, used as a gargle. Swallow after gargling only if directed to do so by your doctor. Otherwise, spit out the medicine after gargling with it.
    • Children—Dose must be determined by your doctor.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Store the canister at room temperature, away from heat and direct light. Do not freeze. Do not keep this medicine inside a car where it could be exposed to extreme heat or cold. Do not poke holes in the canister or throw it into a fire, even if the canister is empty.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.