Mom warns parents of popular teething gel after 15-month-old daughter's health scare

A Virginia mom is sharing a frightening warning after her toddler almost died from using a popular teething product.

Last month, Danielle Kapetanovic was following her regular bedtime routine with her 15-month-old daughter Chloe, when she put “less than a pea size” amount of Nighttime Orajel on the teething toddler’s gums. Almost immediately, she said the child was unresponsive and not breathing.

“It was like something had stopped inside of her; like she was not there,” Kapetanovic told People. “Even though her eyes were open and locked in a dead stare, she was completely limp. She was turning blue. I had to react, so I picked her up and I was hitting her back.”

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The 34-year-old mom began performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Chloe while her husband called 911. Less than 30 seconds later, the baby was responsive again.

“I just reacted. I was trying to do everything I could to get her back. It was like she was gone. I picked her up and she was just dangling there. It was absolutely horrifying,” she said. “That image is seared in my head. She did not look like she had life in her.”

While the entire ordeal lasted less a minute, the mom couldn’t help but feel as though she almost lost her daughter. Medical responders assessed the toddler and ensured Kapetanovic that her daughter would be OK.

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Orajel said in a statement that their gels are recommended for children two years and older due to benzocaine being a key ingredient in the formula. Kapetanovic says she knew the gel had an age disclaimer, but thought her healthy baby would be fine.

“If I had known that this could happen as a result of using this seemingly safe baby product, I would certainly have not given it to her,” she said. “I assumed it was alright, and that was not a safe assumption. Going forward, I won’t assume anything.”

Since the incident, the mom began researching teething gels, discovering that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against giving benzocaine to children under 24 months due to its ability to cause a condition called methemoglobinemia. This condition’s symptoms are similar to what Kapetanovic experienced firsthand: shortness of breath, blue skin colour, dizziness and fatigue. It can also be fatal.

Kapetanovic is now sharing her experience on Facebook to warn other parents of the dangers of this type of product.

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“The directions say apply a ‘pea size’ – I put less than a pea size on my finger and applied it to her gums. Chloe immediately turned red, started kicking, got one or two screams in, and 10-15 seconds after the Orajel touched her gums she became unresponsive. Her eyes locked in a dead stare, she became limp and stopped breathing. She turned blue,” wrote Kapetanovic. “I learned the FDA warns against giving babies Benzocaine – the active ingredient in Baby Orajel. The use of benzocaine gels and liquids for mouth and gum pain can lead to a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia… Children under two years of age are of particular risk, with almost 80 per cent of reported benzocaine gel related cases of methemoglobinemia having occurred in children under two.”

With more than 100,000 shares and 21,000 comments, parents aren’t taking this post lightly. While Kapetanovic is thankful Chloe is OK, she has contacted Orajel regarding the incident, claiming the packaging for the Nighttime Orajel is misleading, because it features a small child on the front.

“There’s a product out there being targeted and advertised to babies when it should not be used on babies …. it’s very upsetting,” she said.

“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

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