Benzocaine, sold under the brand name Orajel amongst others, is a local anesthetic, belonging to the amino ester drug class, commonly used as a topical painkiller or in cough drops.

[medical citation needed] Applying an oral anesthetic and consuming beverages before going to bed can be particularly hazardous.

[medical citation needed] The topical use of higher concentration (10–20%) benzocaine products applied to the mouth or mucous membranes has been found to be a cause of methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried by the blood is greatly reduced.

[22] As a result, the FDA has stated that benzocaine products should not be used in children under two years of age, unless directed by and supervised by a healthcare professional.

Benzocaine acts to inhibit the voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) on the neuron membrane, stopping the propagation of the action potential.

Benzocaine is commonly found, particularly in Britain, as an additive in street cocaine and also as a bulking agent in "legal highs".

[38] Benzocaine was first synthesized in 1890 by the German chemist Eduard Ritsert (1859–1946),[39] in the town of Eberbach[40] and introduced to the market in 1902 under the name "Anästhesin".