Benzocaine, a local anesthetic commonly found in many over the counter teething pain and liquid medicines including Baby Orajel and Anbesol, has been associated with a rare but serious and potentially deadly condition called methemoglobinemia, which reduces the amount of oxygen carried in the bloodstream. Based upon information collected from the Food and Drug Administration"s (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System database, there were 21 cases of methemoglobinemia associated with the use of OTC benzocaine gel or liquid products through March … [Read more...]