A popular teething gel is being removed from the market after incidents of infants being harmed by consuming too much of the active ingredient.

Key points: Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital sells its own teething gel

Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital sells its own teething gel SA Health will discontinue the product following incidents of infants consuming too much

SA Health will discontinue the product following incidents of infants consuming too much Other medications and products are available

SA Health has announced it will discontinue its WCH Teething Gel, which contains the drug lidocaine.

Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH) deputy pharmacy director Usha Ritchie said the move was in line with international best practice.

The US Food and Drug Administration recommended against using dental gels containing lidocaine for teething pain in 2014.

"Today, we have released new teething advice which no longer recommends the use of mouth gels for teething infants," Ms Ritchie said.

"International and Australian … organisations warn against using the local anaesthetic lidocaine in products for infant teething.

"As lidocaine is the active ingredient in the WCH Teething Gel, it will no longer be manufactured or available for sale.

"These recommendations take into account a small number of incidents overseas where infants and children have been harmed after consuming too much lidocaine.

"We know there have been a number of presentations to the WCH emergency department linked to the consumption of too much lidocaine from teething gel, however no children in South Australia have had any serious adverse effects.

"Families who have used this product as per the directions on the bottle should be reassured that they have not harmed their child, however SA Health no longer recommends this product for teething."

Other products also available

The rival teething gel Bonjela contains salicylic acid rather than lidocaine.

However, it has been linked to the rare Reye's syndrome and SA Health has previously warned of harmful effects if it is swallowed rather than applied to gums.

Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in aspirin.

Rather than medication, Cowandilla Child and Family Health Services (CaFHS) associate nurse unit manager Natasha Clark recommended using teething rings, a cold cloth to bite on or something safe to chew on.

"If in doubt, parents should contact their GP, contact your local CaFHS clinic or call the parent helpline at any time with concerns about their baby or child," she said.

Parents surprised at decision

Online parenting forums regularly recommend WCH Teething Gel, with some posters offering to send it interstate to other parents.

An SA Health Facebook post about the gel being removed from the market attracted more than 1,000 comments in the first hour.

WCH Teething Gel is only sold at the Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide. ( ABC News: Eugene Boisvert )

Commenters complained that a few people using too much of it by mistake, resulting in their children swallowing it, had caused the product to be discontinued.

"For those asking why, there's stupid people out there that gave their children way too much, causing an overdose," Jessica Hearse wrote.

"Poor kids. It is and always has been a 'use sparingly' product. But what is the world if a few stupid people don't ruin it for all, hey?"

Others recommended pharmacies selling similar products.

"This is the only thing other than Panadol that worked for my baby," Aleksandra Nikolic Goldspink wrote.

"Pretty much now Panadol and the likes are our only real option."