It's very unlikely to get methemoglobinemia from benzocaine.
Luckily getting methemoglobinemia from benzocaine is very rare, although methemoglobinemia from benzocaine is a rare but serious and also potentially fatal complication of benzocaine, although the exact incidence is not known.
Low incidence rates of methemoglobinemia from benzocaine have been found in studies in specific clinical settings.
Although the FDA has also reported an increasing number of cases, but it's still pretty rare to get methemoglobinemia from benzocaine.
Getting methemoglobinemia from benzocaine is most particularly dangerous in infants, people with certain pre existing conditions like lung disease or heart disease and the elderly.
While methemoglobinemia from benzocaine is a rare complication, it has also been fatal in some cases, especially when it's not promptly treated and recognized.
The FDA also continues to get reports of methemoglobinemia that is associated with benzocaine, which leads to safety warnings.
And infants that are under 4 months of age, the elderly and people with heart problems or breathing problems like emphysema, bronchitis or asthma are at a higher risk of developing methemoglobinemia from benzocaine.
The hallmark symptom of methemoglobinemia from benzocaine is cyanosis, which is bluish discoloration of the skin, which does not improve with oxygen.
If it's recognized early and treated the methemoglobinemia from benzocaine can be treated with methylene blue injection.
And factors that increase your risk of developing methemoglobinemia from benzocaine are concurrent use of other medications, certain genetic disorders and conditions which affect oxygen transport.
The FDA has also urged that manufactures stop marketing benzocaine oral products for teething in infants under 2 years of age.