Benzodent Benzocaine Oral Numbing Cream: Review, Pros & Cons

Summary

An OTC 20% benzocaine cream for temporary relief of pain from minor irritation of the mouth and gums caused by dentures, orthodontic appliances, or injury. Check the safety warnings before you buy: it carries a methemoglobinemia warning and is not for children under 2.

Strengths

20% benzocaine, described by the manufacturer as the maximum strength allowed in an OTC oral care product.
Dentist-recommended positioning, with a cushioning, adhering formula and pain relief the manufacturer says lasts for hours.
One owner who had all teeth removed and received immediate dentures reported no pain at all and rated it 10/10.
Two tube sizes, 0.25 oz and 1 oz, for different needs.
Available at Amazon and Walgreens per the manufacturer where-to-buy page.

Weaknesses

Carries a methemoglobinemia warning; FDA estimated over 400 cases of methemoglobinemia with benzocaine use from February 2009 to October 2017.
Not for children under 2; FDA advises against OTC oral benzocaine for teething or mouth pain in children under 2.
Limited to 7 consecutive days of use unless directed otherwise by a dentist or doctor.
Evidence of real-world performance is thin: one owner review and no independent clinical or instrumented testing of Benzodent specifically.
No price data was recorded; value depends on the retailer price.

Verified specifications

Active ingredient	benzocaine 20% (0.2 g per 1 g).
Purpose	pain reliever.
Indication	temporary relief of pain due to minor irritation of the mouth and gums caused by dentures, orthodontic appliances, or injury.
Dosage (adults and children 12 and older): apply directly to gums or to the denture surface that contacts affected gums; up to 4 times daily, or as directed by a dentist or doctor. If using dentures, wait a few minutes, then reinsert; regular denture adhesive may be used with the product.
Children under 12	should be supervised in use of this product; consult a dentist or doctor.
Do not use	more than 7 consecutive days unless directed by a dentist or doctor; for teething; in children under 2 years of age.
When using	avoid contact with eyes; do not exceed the recommended dosage.
Stop use and ask a doctor or dentist if	sore mouth symptoms do not improve in 7 days; swelling, rash, or fever develops; irritation, pain, or redness persists or worsens.
Methemoglobinemia warning	use may cause methemoglobinemia, a serious condition that reduces the oxygen carried in blood. Stop use and seek immediate medical attention if pale, gray, or blue skin, headache, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, or fatigue occurs.
Allergy alert	do not use if you have a history of allergy to local anesthetics such as procaine, butacaine, benzocaine, or other “caine” anesthetics; localized allergic reactions may occur after prolonged or repeated use.
Overdose	get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away; quick medical attention is critical for adults and children even if no signs or symptoms appear.
Storage	room temperature, away from moisture and heat; do not freeze.
Avoid eating within 1 hour after use on gums or inside the mouth; for use only inside the mouth; avoid eyes; avoid swallowing.
Inactive ingredients (manufacturer)	cellulose gum, D&C Red No. 30 Lake, eugenol, FD&C Blue No. 1 Lake, oxyquinoline sulfate, petrolatum.
Inactive ingredients (DailyMed label)	the above plus aluminum oxide in the lake colorants.
Packaging	7 g (0.25 oz) or 28 g (1 oz) tube of white cream in a carton; marketing start date 12/08/2017.
Identifiers	NDC 71687-1053; NDC 71687-1053-1 (7 g tube) and NDC 71687-1053-2 (28 g tube); RxNorm name “Benzodent 20 % Topical Cream” (RxCUI 1112942).
Packager	Focus Consumer Healthcare, LLC (customer_service@kobayashi.com, 1-800-792-2582).

Full research notes and sources

Methemoglobinemia risk

The 20% concentration used in the mouth or on mucous membranes sits in the range associated with methemoglobinemia reports. General benzocaine references describe it as generally well tolerated and non-toxic when applied topically as recommended, yet topical use of higher concentrations (10-20%) on the mouth or mucous membranes has been found to cause methemoglobinemia. The FDA estimated over 400 patients developed methemoglobinemia after using benzocaine from February 2009 to October 2017. Drugwatch reported that FAERS had received 1,423 adverse event reports related to benzocaine as of 2025, with 1,069 serious and 58 deaths; reports do not establish causation. These figures cover benzocaine overall, not Benzodent specifically. Allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, and serious effects from over-application or application to large areas are also listed general benzocaine caution signals. Prevalence or defect rate for Benzodent cannot be estimated from the read sources.

Directions

Adults and children 12 and older apply the cream directly to the gums or to the denture surface contacting affected gums, up to 4 times daily. If using dentures, wait a few minutes before reinserting; regular denture adhesive may be used with the product. Children under 12 should be supervised; children under 2 should not use. Use is limited to 7 consecutive days unless a dentist or doctor directs otherwise. Avoid eating within 1 hour after use, avoid swallowing, and keep it away from the eyes. Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat; do not freeze.

What owners report

No independent clinical or instrumented testing of Benzodent specifically was found; evidence is limited to the drug label, manufacturer copy, general benzocaine references, and one owner review. One Drugs.com user who had all teeth removed and received immediate dentures reported that the oral surgeon packed the dentures with Benzodent, that there was no pain at all, and that they continued using it while adjusting to dentures. They found it very affordable, thick and not melting away right after application, with a taste that was not horrible, and highly recommended it over other oral pain gels. They rated it 10/10 and used it for 6 months to 1 year. Seller and retailer pages may pool ratings and reviews across benzocaine products; Drugs.com lists one Benzodent-specific review, while other benzocaine brands listed there have more reviews and lower average ratings. The manufacturer’s “maximum amount of benzocaine allowed in an OTC oral care product” claim is not quantified on the product page; the label quantifies 20%.

No price data was recorded from the read sources. Ownership cost is per-tube consumable; there is no reusable hardware or accessories. Value depends on the retailer price and on the buyer’s need for denture or brace pain relief versus the safety warnings. Exact retail price per size is unknown from the read sources.

Which model this is

This page covers Benzodent Dental Pain Relieving Cream, an OTC topical anesthetic cream, brand Benzodent, packager Focus Consumer Healthcare, LLC. Active ingredient benzocaine 20%. Marketed as an OTC monograph drug under M017 with marketing start date 12/08/2017. NDC 71687-1053; two package sizes: NDC 71687-1053-1 (7 g / 0.25 oz tube) and NDC 71687-1053-2 (28 g / 1 oz tube). RxNorm name “Benzodent 20 % Topical Cream” (RxCUI 1112942). The Amazon listing for this product is ASIN B01MTDQXM5. Do not merge with other benzocaine brands (Orajel, Anbesol, Lanacane, Hurricaine, and others) or other strengths and concentrations. Inactive ingredients differ between the manufacturer page (six inactives) and the DailyMed label (seven, adding aluminum oxide in the lake colorants).