Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Impact of Common Fruit Juices and Toothbrushing on the Discoloration of Primary Teeth
04:40

Impact of Common Fruit Juices and Toothbrushing on the Discoloration of Primary Teeth

Published on: March 27, 2026

Efficacy of intraoral topical anesthetics in children

Ekaterini Paschos1, K C Huth, C Benz

  • 1Department of Orthodontics, Dental School, LMU-University Munich, Goethestr. 70, 80336 München, Germany. kpaschos@dent.med.uni-muenchen.de

Journal of Dentistry
|October 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant difference in primary pain measures between topical anesthetics and placebos for children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Pain Management
  • Anesthesiology

Background:

  • Intraoral topical anesthetic efficacy in children is poorly understood.
  • Existing studies often lack placebo control or focus on adults.
  • Limited research compares multiple agents in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of four topical anesthetics versus placebo in reducing injection pain in children.
  • To compare Gingicain Spray, Gingicaine Topical Anesthetic, Legecain-Solution, and EMLA Crème.
  • To assess pain using primary and secondary outcome measures in pediatric dental patients.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-mouth study.
  • 104 children undergoing conservative treatment for carious primary molars.
  • Evaluated heart rate change, Face Pain Scale, Visual Analog Scale, Children's Hospital Pain Scale, and Sound-Eyes-Motor Scale.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences between placebos and topical anesthetics for primary variables (heart rate change, Face Pain Scale).
  • Gingicain Spray and Gingicaine Topical Anesthetic showed significant benefits on secondary variables (Visual Analog Scale, Sound-Eyes-Motor Scale).

Conclusions:

  • Primary pain measures did not show superiority of topical anesthetics over placebo in children.
  • Secondary measures suggest a potential benefit for Gingicain Spray and Gingicaine Topical Anesthetic.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the role of topical anesthetics in pediatric dental procedures.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow05:43

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow

Published on: January 13, 2017

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation11:19

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation

Published on: January 17, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications01:23

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia01:30

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...
Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics01:13

Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics

The potency and duration of action of local anesthetics (LAs) are determined by their pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics describes how LAs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated from the body. When administered to the vascular tissues, LAs are quickly absorbed and enter the systemic circulation, reducing their localized effects. Adding vasoconstrictors such as epinephrine to LAs reduces their absorption into the systemic circulation, making them clinically effective. The...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:30

Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Local anesthetics (LAs) are drugs that induce a temporary loss of sensation in a limited body area, preventing pain. Cocaine was the first local anesthetic discovered in the late 19th century. Cocaine is a benzoic acid ester obtained from the leaves of coca shrubs and was often used for its psychotropic effects. Cocaine was first isolated in 1860 by Albert Niemann. Sigmund Freud studied the physiological actions of cocaine. Carl Koller later introduced it into clinical practice in 1884 as a...