i have had no problems with using a numbing agent like orajel with my patients and my own kids. it is one of many things that we have used including cool teething toys moist-chilled washcloths and oral pain meds. i would suggest trying the orajel on your own gums so that you get a sense of how it feels/how long it lasts. it can certainly take the edge off especially for those middle of the night awakenings.
after hearing and reading in blogs that orajel is bad because it hardens the gums i'm wondering "is that true? "