Two medicines, side by side
Benzocaine vs lidocaine
Benzocaine and lidocaine are both labeled for pain.
Check it at the source: the benzocaine FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 17, 2025); the lidocaine FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 13, 2024).
Highlights of the benzocaine record
Benzocaine · label of January 17, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsFor oral mucosal use only, as directed by dentist. For the temporary relief of pain due to minor dental procedures.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- n/a
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the lidocaine record
Lidocaine (Xylocaine) · label of May 13, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsXylocaine (lidocaine HCl) Injections are indicated for production of local or regional anesthesia by infiltration techniques such as percutaneous injection and intravenous regional anesthesia by peripheral nerve block techniques such as brachial plexus and intercostal and by central neural techniques such as lumbar and caudal epidural blocks, when the accepted procedures for these techniques as described in standard textbooks are observed. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 19, 1948
- Generic labelers
- 81 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.154 per gram
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 39
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Benzocaine label of January 17, 2025, Lidocaine label of May 13, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do benzocaine and lidocaine differ on the record?
Generics: benzocaine none approved; lidocaine since 1971 (Drugs@FDA).
| Benzocaine | Lidocaine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Pain | Pain |
| Pharmacologic class | n/a | Amide Local Anesthetic, Antiarrhythmic |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Mechanism of Action Lidocaine HCl stabilizes the neuronal membrane by inhibiting the ionic fluxes required for the initiation and conduction of impulses thereby effecting local anesthetic action. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | The elimination half-life of lidocaine HCl following an intravenous bolus injection is typically 1.5 to 2 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | n/a | November 19, 1948 |
| First generic approved | none | June 30, 1971 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | none listed | 81 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | n/a | $0.154 per gram (Lidocaine 5% ointment) |
| 12-month price change | n/a | -8% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | In shortage |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 39 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,036 | 71,853 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to benzocaine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions