Sedation and Anesthesia
Topical anesthetic
A topical anesthetic is a gel, spray, or patch put on the surface of the gums or mouth to numb the area briefly before an injection.
A topical anesthetic works on the surface only. The dentist dries the spot and dabs it on with a cotton swab. The ADA says your dentist may apply a topical anesthetic to numb an area before injecting a local anesthetic, and that topical anesthetics may also be used to soothe painful mouth sores. Cleveland Clinic describes a topical anesthetic as a medication you apply to the skin or mucosa to temporarily numb the area. It does not numb deeper tissue, so it does not replace a local anesthetic. Tell your dentist about any allergies. See lidocaine and mouth sores.