Dental pain is one of the most acute and debilitating forms of discomfort a patient can experience.[i] It disrupts eating, concentration, sleep, and work and it rarely arrives at a convenient time. For those unable to access an appointment immediately, the hours and days spent waiting for treatment can be genuinely distressing. As a clinician, what you recommend in that window can have a huge impact.
Orajel® offers a trusted option for patients managing dental pain at home – delivering fast, targeted relief[iii]while they await definitive treatment.
Rapid relief
Unlike systemic oral analgesics, which can take up to an hour to take effect, Orajel® is formulated with benzocaine,[ii] a local anaesthetic that is clinically proven to relieve dental pain in two minutes or less.[iii]
Benzocaine is rapidly absorbed through the oral mucosa, reversibly binding to and inhibiting sodium channels in nerve cell membranes, blocking the conduction of nerve impulses and reducing pain signal transmission directly at the source.ii
This kind of speed is significant to patients. Research suggests that 63% of patients prioritise speed in pain reliefii – and for someone who has been kept awake by toothache, fast relief is a real reprieve.
Targeted application
Orajel® is applied directly to the affected area, putting patients in control of their own pain management. This precision delivers localised relief where it is needed most, without the systemic absorption associated with oral analgesics. Its non-systemic formulation and minimal drug interactions make it well tolerated across a broad range of patients – including those already taking other medications – and it can be used alongside systemic analgesics for enhanced pain management where required.iii
The right option for every patient
The Orajel® range offers clinicians the flexibility to match the product to the patient’s needs.
Orajel® Dental Gel contains 10% w/w benzocaine, providing rapid relief for everyday dental pain associated with broken or fractured teeth, dental decay, loose fillings, or receding gums.ii
Orajel® Extra Strength contains 20% w/w benzocaine – the maximum concentration available without prescription – for patients experiencing more severe or acute dental pain.[iv] 87% of patients experience significant pain relief with Orajel® Extra Strength.[v]
Orajel® Mouth Gel contains 10% w/w benzocaine for patients with mouth ulcers or denture pain, offering the same fast, targeted approach to oral pain relief beyond toothache.[vi]
All products can be applied up to four times daily for no longer than four days, providing consistent relief while patients wait for their appointment.
Anxiety, pain, and a cycle clinicians can help break
The relationship between pain and psychology is especially significant for dentally anxious patients. Research consistently shows us that anxiety amplifies pain perception,[vii] meaning anxious patients may genuinely experience greater distress in response to pain while additionally delaying seeking treatment or disengaging from dental care altogether. A patient who has spent several sleepless nights with unmanaged toothache is likely to arrive at their appointment in a heightened state of discomfort and anxiety, neither of which are conducive to a positive clinical experience.
Providing these anxious patients with an effective and easy-to-use pain relief option therefore serves a dual purpose. It manages the immediate physical symptom and, in doing so, reduces the psychological burden of waiting. Feeling in control of their pain, even partially, can meaningfully reduce the sense of helplessness that dental anxiety so often produces. For patients who already associate dental visits with fear, a clinician who takes their interim discomfort seriously and offers practical support builds the trust that keeps them engaged with their care long term.
In this context, recommending a solution such as Orajel® becomes a part of delivering patient-centred care – not just pain management.
Recommending Orajel® is a straightforward step in helping patients manage their pain, reduce their distress, and arrive at their treatment appointment in a better position. In the time between pain onset and treatment, that support makes a real difference.
For essential information, and to see the full range of Orajel® products, please visit https://www.orajelhcp.co.uk/
[i] Dabiri D, Harper DE, Kapila Y, Kruger GH, Clauw DJ, Harte S. Applications of sensory and physiological measurement in oral-facial dental pain. Spec Care Dentist. 2018;38(6):395-404. doi:10.1111/scd.12323
[ii] Orajel Dental Gel. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1230/smpc
[iii] Hersh, EV, et al. An evaluation of 10 percent and 20 percent benzocaine gels in patients with acute toothache. J Am Dent Assoc. 2013;144(5):517–526.
[iv] Orajel Extra Strength. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1231/smpc
[v] Editor. Toothache? Orajel Relief. Dentalreview.news. Published September 26, 2022. Accessed April 29, 2026. https://www.dentalreview.news/dentistry/19-dental-health-hygiene/13120-toothache-orajel-relief
[vi] Orajel Mouth Gel. Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1229/smpc
[vii] Cimpean A, David D. The mechanisms of pain tolerance and pain-related anxiety in acute pain. Health Psychol Open. 2019;6(2):2055102919865161. Published 2019 Nov 29. doi:10.1177/2055102919865161
