Hi,
The bonjela which is specifically for teething is Bonjela baby or something similar, I bought it in the UK and it tastes like Bananna, my LO hates it!
The Bonjela you buy off the shelf here is the regular Bonjela which the article is about. Below I am posting the latest advise to hospitals in the UK.
The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has recommended that topical oral pain relief products containing salicylate salts should be contraindicated in children and young people under the age of 16 years.
In line with this we have decided to replace the use of Bonjela (choline salicylate) on all wards/ units with the oral teething gel Dentinox, which contains a local anaesthetic agent (lidocaine) which should be equally effective for treating sore gums/ mouth ulcers, etc in children and adults.
We will be actively withdrawing Bonjela stocks from Paediatric wards/ units, SCBU, Theatres and A&E, gradually replacing stocks of Bonjela on other wards and substituting "Dentinox gel" for Bonjela for prescriptions coming to Pharmacy without contacting the prescriber.
Background Information;
In June 2008, the British Medical Journal published a case report of a suspected case of Reyes syndrome associated with the use of an oral gel containing choline salicylate in a 20 month old child. A risk/benefit review concluded that the symptoms reported in the case report were not consistent with Reyes syndrome and were more likely to reflect salicylate toxicity. Nevertheless the case demonstrated that significant levels of salicylate were achievable in the blood following overuse of salicylate containing oral gels.
To date (April 2009), there have been a total of three suspected serious Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) reports in association with the use of topical oral gels in children containing choline salicylate. In all cases, Reyes syndrome was suspected but in none of the cases was Reyes syndrome confirmed.
Whilst acknowledging that there is only a theoretical risk of Reyes syndrome with these oral gel products, CHM concluded that they should be contraindicated in children and young people under the age of 16 years. This advice brings these products in line with other oral salicylate containing products which were contraindicated in children and young people under the age of 16 years of age in 2002. It should be emphasised that this is a precautionary measure to remove what is a theoretical risk of Reyes syndrome if these products are overused in children and young people.