Benzocaine is a local numbing agent found in a wide range of over-the-counter products, from toothache gels and sore throat lozenges to sunburn sprays and hemorrhoid ointments. It works by temporarily blocking nerve signals at the skin or tissue surface, and it shows up in more product categories than most people realize. Here’s a breakdown of where you’ll find it.
Oral Pain Relief Products
This is the most common category. Benzocaine is the active ingredient in gels, liquids, and pastes designed for toothaches, canker sores, gum irritation, and general mouth pain. Major brand names include Orajel, Anbesol, Hurricaine, Benzodent, and Topex. Store brands and generic versions are widely available too, often labeled as “mouth sore medication” or “oral pain relief gel.”
Concentrations in these products typically range from 7.5% to 20%, with 20% being the maximum allowed in over-the-counter formulas. The higher-strength versions are marketed for severe toothache pain, while lower concentrations target mild soreness from braces, dentures, or canker sores.
Sore Throat Lozenges and Sprays
Many throat lozenges combine benzocaine with menthol to numb throat pain while providing a cooling sensation. Brands in this category include Cepacol Sore Throat, Cepacol Extra Strength, Chloraseptic Sore Throat Lozenges, and Vicks VapoCOOL Sore Throat. Grocery and pharmacy store brands also sell benzocaine throat drops, often labeled as “sore throat lozenges” with benzocaine listed as the active ingredient.
Benzocaine spray formulations work the same way but coat the back of the throat more evenly. These are useful when swallowing a lozenge feels too painful.
Sunburn, Bug Bite, and Skin Irritation Treatments
Benzocaine appears in a variety of topical creams, sprays, and gels for minor skin problems. Dermoplast is one of the best-known spray brands in this category. These products target:
- Sunburn: Some formulas combine benzocaine with menthol or zinc oxide for both numbing and skin protection.
- Insect bites and stings: Products may pair benzocaine with camphor or phenol to reduce itching and swelling.
- Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: Combination formulas with benzocaine, camphor, and phenol help control the intense itch from plant-related rashes.
- Minor burns and scrapes: Some first aid ointments include benzocaine alongside antiseptic ingredients to numb pain at wound sites.
Concentrations in skin products fall within the same 5% to 20% range as oral products. Sprays tend to be on the lower end for broader coverage, while targeted creams and ointments often use the full 20%.
Hemorrhoid and Anorectal Products
Benzocaine is a key ingredient in several hemorrhoid ointments and creams. Americaine Hemorrhoidal Ointment, for example, contains 20% benzocaine and is designed to temporarily relieve the itching, soreness, and local pain associated with hemorrhoids. Other anorectal products combine benzocaine with ingredients like zinc oxide or hydrocortisone. Federal regulations cap benzocaine at 5% to 20% in this product category as well.
Sexual Health Products
Benzocaine is the active ingredient in several products designed to help with premature ejaculation. These work by mildly reducing sensitivity on contact.
Desensitizing wipes are one popular format. Roman Swipes contain 4% benzocaine per wipe. Hims Clockstopper Climax Delay Wipes and RexMD Performance Wipes also use benzocaine, though neither company publicly lists the exact concentration. All three are available without a prescription.
Certain condom brands also incorporate benzocaine into a small amount of lubricant on the inside of the condom. These are typically marketed as “extended pleasure,” “climax control,” or “performax” varieties. Trojan and Durex both offer versions with benzocaine in this format.
Products Used by Dentists and Doctors
Beyond what you’d buy at a pharmacy, benzocaine is widely used in clinical settings. Dentists apply high-concentration benzocaine gels (like Hurricaine) to numb gums before injections. Doctors use benzocaine sprays to numb the throat before procedures that require passing a tube down the esophagus, such as upper endoscopies. It’s also used during certain types of intubation when a patient needs to remain awake.
An Important Safety Warning for Children
The FDA has warned that benzocaine products should not be used on infants or children under 2 years old. This applies to teething gels specifically, which were once widely marketed for babies. Benzocaine can cause a rare but serious condition called methemoglobinemia, in which red blood cells lose much of their ability to carry oxygen. The FDA has pushed manufacturers to stop selling benzocaine teething products entirely and to add methemoglobinemia warnings to all oral benzocaine products for older children and adults.
For adults, the risk of methemoglobinemia is low with normal use, but it increases with repeated applications, broken skin, or use on large areas of tissue. If you notice pale, gray, or bluish skin color, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue after using any benzocaine product, that warrants immediate medical attention.