Calgel for children: instructions for use

The appearance of milk teeth in infants is often accompanied by severe painful sensations. To get rid of them and facilitate the process of teething, various local pain relievers have been created. One of them is Kalgel. When can it be used in children, will it harm the little one and what, if necessary, can replace it?

Release form

The drug comes in the form of a dental gel, which some parents call ointment. It looks like a yellowish-brown homogeneous substance in which there are no lumps or grains. The gel has a specific odor and is packed in aluminum tubes. One tube contains 10 grams of medicine.

Composition

The therapeutic effect of the gel is provided by two active compounds:

Lidocaine hydrochloride. It contains 3.3 mg in one gram of the drug.
Cetylpyridinium. Such a substance in the form of chloride is contained for each gram of gel in a dose of 1 mg.

These ingredients are complemented by glycerol, sorbitol and ethyl alcohol. Also, the drug includes xylitol, macrogol, sodium saccharinate, hyetellose, sodium citrate, levomenthol, flavors and some other substances.

Watch a video on how to relieve teething pain in babies.

Operating principle

Calgel is a local anesthetic due to the presence of lidocaine in its composition. This ingredient blocks sodium channels and thereby inhibits the transmission of pain signals along the nerves. The second component (cetylpyrinium) has an antiseptic effect. This substance inhibits the growth of some fungi and bacteria. The use of Kalgel helps to reduce irritation of the gingival mucosa and relieve pain during teething in babies.

Indications

The drug is usually given to children during teething to reduce the painful manifestations of this process.

At what age are they used?

Kalgel is allowed to treat the gums of children over 5 months old. It is at this age that babies experience uncomfortable sensations associated with the appearance of their first teeth. The medication is also in demand in older children, when chewing teeth or canines erupt.

And now a comment by Dr. Komarovsky about the first children's teeth.

Contraindications

Lubrication with Kalgel in childhood is prohibited:

If you are intolerant to lidocaine or another ingredient in the medicine.
With liver failure.
For serious kidney problems.
With arterial hypotension.
With cardiac pathologies - cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, congenital heart defects, bradycardia, conduction disorders, 2-3 degrees of heart failure.

Side effects

In some babies, the drug causes an allergic reaction, such as itching or hives. Occasionally, Calgel causes an anaphylactic reaction associated with the presence of a herbal flavoring agent based on chamomile extract in the composition. Moreover, this ingredient has a risk of causing difficulty breathing. Another rare side effect of Kalgel is swallowing problems. If any allergy symptoms appear, the treatment is stopped immediately and a doctor is consulted.

Instructions for use and dosage

The medicine is used only topically on the inflamed areas of the gums. Before the first lubrication, consultation with a pediatrician is advisable. After squeezing the gel in a small volume (about 7.5 millimeters) onto a clean finger, the drug is gently rubbed into the mucous membrane at the site of the eruption of the tooth. If required, Kalgel can be reapplied after 20 minutes, but the frequency of applications per day should not exceed 6 times.

Overdose

If you apply Calgel to the gums in too much or use the medicine more often than recommended in the annotation, vomiting, pale skin and bradycardia may occur. In some babies, with an overdose, the respiratory center is inhibited and apnea develops. Such symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Drug interactions

The instructions for the drug do not mention the incompatibility of Kalgel and any other drugs, but when a child is taking any medication, it is worth consulting a pediatrician before using the gel.

Terms of sale

The medicine is on the list of prescription drugs in the pharmacy, so you should see your doctor first. The average price of one tube is 300 rubles.

Storage conditions and shelf life

The storage of Kalgel does not require special conditions. It is only important not to overheat the medicine, so the recommended temperature is below +25 degrees. It is also advisable to keep the drug where children will not have access to it. The shelf life of the medication is 3 years.

Reviews

Moms say different things about Kalgel. Most reviews note that the drug copes well with irritation and soreness of the gums, acting very quickly. Plus, babies love its sweet taste. The main disadvantage of the drug is the short duration of its effect. Also, in negative reviews, they often complain of allergies after using the gel and the high cost of the drug, which is why many parents are looking for cheaper pain relievers.

Analogs

A replacement for Kalgel can be another drug with a similar effect, used in children during the period of new teeth, for example:

Dentinox. In this gel, lidocaine is supplemented with chamomile extract and lauromacrogol. The use of such a drug has no age restrictions, therefore it is prescribed for infants, whose first teeth are being cut, and for school-age children during the appearance of molars, and for adults during the eruption of wisdom teeth.
Baby Doctor First Teeth. The action of this gel is due to herbal ingredients obtained from chamomile, marshmallow, plantain, calendula and echinacea. This medication is approved for use in children over 3 months old.
Holisal. As part of such a gel, the antiseptic cetalkonium chloride is supplemented with choline salicylate, which has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. This gel is in demand not only for teething in babies, but also for gingivitis, stomatitis, cheilitis and other diseases of the oral cavity that occur with inflammation of the mucous membrane. It is also used by dentists for various procedures and after dental operations. The drug is approved for children over a year old, and before use in infants, a doctor's consultation is needed. Gel Mundizal has a similar composition and effect.
Dantinorm Baby. It is a homeopathic remedy based on chamomile, ivy and rhubarb. It is produced in the form of a metered solution taken by mouth. Such a liquid is given to children of any age with the painful appearance of new teeth. It can be replaced by another homeopathic remedy Dentokind containing chamomile, belladonna, pulsatilla and other substances. Such a remedy in tablets is allowed from birth.

In addition, severe pain during the appearance of teeth is effectively eliminated with drugs based on paracetamol (Tylenol, Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Panadol, etc.) or ibuprofen (Ibufen, Nurofen, Advil for children, etc.).