Orajel works by numbing the painful area inside your mouth within a minute or two of application. Getting the most out of it requires a few simple steps: drying the area first, applying the right amount, and keeping saliva away long enough for the gel to absorb. Here’s exactly how to do it, along with important safety limits.
Step-by-Step Application
Start by washing your hands with soap and water. Squeeze a small amount of gel onto a clean cotton swab rather than using your finger. A cotton tip gives you better control inside the mouth and keeps bacteria from your hands out of the equation. The amount you use should be less than the amount of toothpaste you’d put on your toothbrush.
Before applying, dry the affected tooth and surrounding gums with a paper towel. This is the step most people skip, and it makes a real difference. Saliva dilutes the gel and prevents it from sticking to the tissue. Wipe away as much moisture as you can from both the tooth and the gum around it.
Using the cotton swab, rub the gel over all surfaces of the painful tooth and the surrounding gums. Then tilt your head to the opposite side. If your left side hurts, lean your head to the right, and vice versa. Hold that position for two to three minutes to let the medication absorb without saliva washing it away. If saliva starts to pool, swallow it quickly so it doesn’t reach the treated area.
After the two to three minutes, rinse your mouth once, briefly. Then avoid eating or drinking for an hour to let the numbing effect last as long as possible.
How Often You Can Reapply
You can apply Orajel up to four times per day. Don’t exceed that limit. If you’re using it daily, the product labeling specifies a maximum of seven consecutive days without direction from a dentist. If your pain hasn’t resolved within a week, something deeper is going on and a topical numbing agent isn’t going to fix it.
Choosing the Right Strength
Orajel comes in two main concentrations for adults. Regular strength contains 10% benzocaine, while maximum strength contains 20%. Both numb the area, but the higher concentration works faster and lasts somewhat longer. For most toothaches, maximum strength is the more practical choice.
Baby Orajel historically contained 7.5% benzocaine, but this is where an important safety warning applies. The FDA warns that benzocaine products should not be used on infants or children under 2 years old because of the risk of a rare but life-threatening condition called methemoglobinemia, where the blood loses its ability to carry oxygen effectively. For teething babies, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rubbing the baby’s gums with a clean finger or giving them a firm rubber teething ring to chew on. Don’t freeze the ring, as a rock-hard surface can actually bruise tender gums.
Where Not to Apply It
Don’t use Orajel on open wounds, burns, broken skin, or visibly infected areas inside the mouth. If the tissue where you’d apply it is already inflamed with signs of infection (pus, significant swelling, heat), the gel can worsen the problem or mask symptoms that need professional attention.
People with certain blood disorders that affect how red blood cells carry oxygen face a higher risk of methemoglobinemia from benzocaine. These are mostly hereditary conditions involving hemoglobin or specific enzyme deficiencies. People with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or heart disease should also use benzocaine cautiously, as it can intensify side effects. If you take supplements containing St. John’s Wort, be aware that it can interact with benzocaine.
Signs That Orajel Isn’t Enough
Orajel is a temporary fix. It numbs pain but does nothing about the cause. Certain symptoms mean the underlying problem has progressed beyond what a topical gel can manage. Facial swelling, a small pimple-like bump on the gum that leaks pus, or fever alongside tooth pain all point toward a dental abscess. An abscess is an active infection, and the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream to the heart or brain if left untreated.
A cracked tooth or filling, worsening gum disease, or pain that keeps returning despite regular Orajel use all warrant a call to the dentist as soon as possible. If you can’t get an appointment quickly and you have signs of a spreading infection (facial swelling, fever, difficulty swallowing), an emergency department can start you on antibiotics until you’re seen by a dentist. Sudden pain in the lower jaw and neck, particularly if you have a history of heart problems, is a different kind of emergency entirely and calls for 911.