Teething in young children often causes serious trouble for parents and suffering for the baby. Giving your child painkillers is not recommended, but you can alleviate his condition with external drugs. Most often, the drug "Kalgel" is used for these purposes. The instruction notes that it is safe, well tolerated by children and quickly relieves pain. But still, it is worthwhile to consult a doctor before use and strictly observe the recommended dosage.
General characteristics of the drug
Kalgel is a dental product for external use. It is a clear yellowish gel. The gel has a pleasant smell and sweet taste. It has analgesic properties. The instruction to "Kalgel" recommends using it to relieve teething pain in babies. This drug has a complex effect, which is provided by a special composition.
The main active ingredient is the anesthetic lidocaine hydrochloride. It quickly penetrates tissues and blocks sodium channels. Due to this, the speed of nervous reactions is reduced, so the pain ceases to be felt. In addition, the antiseptic substance cetylpyridinium chloride is part of the preparation . It reduces the severity of the inflammatory process, and also inhibits the activity of bacteria and some fungi.
When Calgel is used for teeth
The instruction recommends the use of the drug for adults and children from 5 months of age. Most often it is prescribed for severe pain due to teething in babies. But it can also be used by adults. Reviews note that the drug effectively reduces pain during teething wisdom. The drug is well tolerated and reduces the amount of pain medication taken. Therefore, in case of toothache in pregnant women, "Kalgel" is also often prescribed. The instruction notes that with topical use of the drug in the recommended dosage, it does no harm to the child.
In addition, it is recommended to use "Kalgel" for stomatitis in children and adults. The presence in its composition of a substance with an antiseptic effect allows you to quickly relieve irritation and soreness of the gums, swelling and inflammation. But in this case, the drug can be used only as part of a comprehensive treatment.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
Before using this product for a child, it is necessary to find out at what age the instructions for “Kalgel” allow it to be used. After all, the teeth begin to be cut in babies from 4 months, and the gel can be applied only after 5 months. In addition, there are other contraindications to the use of this drug:
- individual intolerance to the components of the drug;
- impaired liver or kidney function;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system: congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, bradycardia;
- old age of the patient.
This drug only alleviates the condition of the child by relieving the negative symptoms of teething. But despite this, you still need to consult a doctor before using it.
Possible side effects
Children usually tolerate Calgel well. The instruction notes that it has a pleasant taste and, when used correctly, almost does not cause side effects. But they are still possible. Most often, allergic reactions occur, with the appearance of which the drug can no longer be used. It must be borne in mind that the herbal flavor contains chamomile, to which allergic reactions often occur. And lidocaine intolerance occurs mainly in adults. "Kalgel" can cause the appearance of skin itching, urticaria. In rare cases, swallowing or anaphylactic shock is possible. In this case, you need to remove the drug and consult a doctor.
Various adverse reactions are also possible when exceeding the recommended dosage. This happens if parents apply the gel too often or immediately on a large area of the gum. Because of this, the child may experience vomiting, respiratory failure, develop bradycardia and the skin becomes very pale. Often there is also a decrease in throat sensitivity and a violation of swallowing. Inhibition of the respiratory center and the development of apnea are possible. When applying the gel, it must be borne in mind that if applied before meals, it will be swallowed, which increases the risk of side effects. When a drug enters the gastrointestinal tract, dyspepsia develops.
"Calgel: instructions for use
The drug is intended only for local use - it is applied to the gums. Before use, it is necessary to consult a doctor to foresee possible contraindications. Instruction "Kalgel" for children recommends use only in extreme cases - with severe pain and inflammation. Before applying the drug, you need to wash your hands, wipe them. Squeeze a small strip of gel - not more than 7 mm - onto the tip of your finger. Apply the drug to the painful area of the gums and gently rub. Usually pain is reduced after a few minutes. If necessary, you can apply the gel repeatedly, but not earlier than after 20 minutes. The drug can be used 5-6 times a day, more often it is not recommended because of the risk of overdose.
Reviews about the drug
There are many different external agents for oral use. When teething in babies, it is recommended to use “Dental drops”, “Denta” gel, “Kamistad”, “Mundizal”, “Dentinox” or “Stomatophyte”. But, according to parental reviews, Calgel is best tolerated by children. It has a pleasant taste, so there are no problems with its application. When used correctly, there are no side effects. And the pain goes away almost immediately, which favorably affects the general condition of the child. Gum irritation disappears and inflammation decreases. In addition, despite the fact that the drug is considered to be children's, adults often use it to reduce toothache and reduce gum disease. Sometimes true, there are negative reviews. They mainly noted the short-term effect of the drug and its rather high cost - about 300 rubles per tube of 10 grams.