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Benzocaine Brand Names
Advocate Pain Relief Stick | Americaine | Anbesol | Banadyne-3 | Benzodent | Benz-O-Sthetic | Boil-Ease | Cepacol Sensations | Chloraseptic | Comfort Caine | Dry Socket Remedy | Freez Eez | Little Remedies for Teethers | Monistat Care | Orabase | Orajel | Orajel Baby | Orajel Denture Plus | Orajel P.M. | Orajel Protective | Orajel Severe Pain | Orajel Swabs | Orajel Ultra | Oral Pain Relief | Oticaine | Otocain | Outgro | Pinnacaine | Pro-Caine | RE Benzotic | Topex | Topicale Xtra | Zilactin-B
What is Benzocaine
Benzocaine is a short-acting local anesthetic of the ester type.
It is used for topical anesthesia in a wide variety of clinical situations including mucous membrane anesthesia prior to endoscopic examination or instrumentation, gag reflex suppression, anorectal disorders, and various pain syndromes.
It is available in many dosage forms including gels, creams, ointments, lotions, aerosols, and lozenges. In 2006, the Veterans Health Administration announced the decision to stop using benzocaine sprays in procedures that require tube insertion in the larynx or pharynx or in minor surgical procedures performed in these locations; other benzocaine products and benzocaine sprays applied to exterior skin are still allowable.
The removal of benzocaine sprays used in the mouth and throat from practice is based on the belief that other topical anesthetics are less likely to cause methemoglobinemia.
Further, tube insertion or surgical procedures in the larynx or pharynx might cause similar signs of methemoglobinemia, which may mean that methemoglobinemia may go unrecognized in some cases.
Many over-the-counter (OTC) products are available for the temporary relief of dental or oral pain. OTC benzocaine products should not be used for teething pain and are contraindicated in infants and children younger than 2 years of age, due to the risk of methemoglobinemia.
These products should also be used sparingly and not applied more frequently than 4 times per day in older pediatric patients and adults.
Benzocaine and tetracaine are more likely to cause contact sensitization than are other local anesthetics.
Indications
- aphthous ulcer
- burns
- dental anesthesia
- dental pain
- hemorrhoids
- insect bites or stings
- local anesthesia
- mild pain
- mucosal anesthesia
- otitis externa
- otitis media
- pruritus
- skin abrasion
- topical anesthesia
Side Effects
- angioedema
- anxiety
- blurred vision
- bradycardia
- cardiac arrest
- coma
- confusion
- contact dermatitis
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- edema
- erythema
- headache
- hypertension
- hypotension
- methemoglobinemia
- photosensitivity
- pruritus
- rash
- respiratory arrest
- restlessness
- seizures
- shivering
- sinus tachycardia
- tremor
- urticaria
Monitoring Parameters
- laboratory monitoring not necessary
Contraindications
- asthma
- breast-feeding
- bronchitis
- burns
- cardiac disease
- children
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- diabetes mellitus
- ear discharge
- eczema
- emphysema
- ester local anesthetic hypersensitivity
- G6PD deficiency
- geriatric
- Graves’ disease
- hepatic disease
- hyperthyroidism
- infants
- infection
- methemoglobin reductase deficiency
- methemoglobinemia
- neonates
- occlusive dressing
- para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA hypersensitivity
- paraben hypersensitivity
- pregnancy
- shock
- skin abrasion
- tartrazine dye hypersensitivity
- teething pain
- tobacco smoking
- tympanic membrane perforation
Interactions
- Adapalene; Benzoyl Peroxide
- Amyl Nitrite
- Articaine; Epinephrine
- Benzocaine; Butamben; Tetracaine
- Benzoyl Peroxide
- Benzoyl Peroxide; Clindamycin
- Benzoyl Peroxide; Erythromycin
- Benzoyl Peroxide; Sulfur
- Bupivacaine
- Bupivacaine Liposomal
- Bupivacaine; Lidocaine
- Chloroprocaine
- Chloroxylenol; Hydrocortisone; Pramoxine
- Dapsone
- Dibucaine
- Erythromycin; Sulfisoxazole
- Ethyl Chloride
- Hydralazine; Isosorbide Dinitrate, ISDN
- Hydrocortisone; Pramoxine
- Isosorbide Dinitrate, ISDN
- Isosorbide Mononitrate
- Lidocaine
- Lidocaine; Prilocaine
- Lidocaine; Tetracaine
- Mepivacaine
- Mepivacaine; Levonordefrin
- Nitrates
- Nitroglycerin
- Penicillin G Benzathine; Penicillin G Procaine
- Penicillin G Procaine
- Pramoxine
- Pyrimethamine; Sulfadoxine
- Ropivacaine
- Sulfadiazine
- Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim, SMX-TMP, Cotrimoxazole
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulfisoxazole
- Sulfonamides
- Tetracaine
