Teething Pain Reliever: HSA Eligibility

What is a teething pain reliever?

Teething pain relievers are Over-the-Counter (OTC) medical products designed to relieve the pain of teething in infants. Teething pain relievers use local anesthetics such as benzocaine to numb the tissues of the mouth and gum which normally become quite painful as an infant's teeth grow through their gums and penetrate the flesh in order to protrude into a health infant's smile. Teething pain is common and is experienced by every infant, and can be relieved by parents in a variety of ways, from gentle rubbing of the gums to pain relievers from the drug store (Mayo Clinic).

A common type of teething pain reliever uses benzocaine dispensed by individual swabs. Individualized swabs are more useful when applying a teething pain reliever because of the necessity of using sterile applicators and the difficulty of repeatedly sterilizing an applicator.

Methemoglobinemia is a possible side effect of the overuse of teething pain relievers containing benzocaine. That condition results in a drastically lowered amount of oxygen flowing in the blood, and it can be fatal. Parents who choose to relieve their infant's teething pain with benzocaine products should be aware of this possibility.