Last updated on October 2nd, 2023 at 10:48 am

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning to the public about the use of over-the-counter (OTC) products containing benzocaine, a local anesthetic. Benzocaine is the active ingredient in many OTC gels, sprays, liquids and lozenges used to relieve pain in the mouth and gums from a variety of conditions such as teething, canker sores, and irritation of the mouth and gums. Benzocaine use may cause methemoglobinemia, a rare, but serious, condition where the amount of oxygen that can be carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced. According to the FDA, parents and caregivers should not use benzocaine products on children under two years of age, except under the advice and supervision of a healthcare professional. For more information on the FDA’s safety announcement regarding benzocaine, click here. Parenting.com has also posted an informative blog on this topic here.

If the FDA’s recent warning has left you searching for a new teething solution, or if you’re determined to find a safer, more natural product for your baby, you may want to try Boiron’s Camilia. Our teething medicine is a one-product solution for painful gums and irritability caused by teething. Not only is Camilia benzocaine-free, it does not contain preservatives, flavors, dyes, sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its sterile single-use doses are easy to administer to children one month of age and older, and there’s no risk of overmedicating or numbing your baby’s gag reflex. Check out our store locator to find the retailer nearest you that carries Camilia.

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