Parents of a 6 month old baby are worried about the swollen gums of their child. The baby seems to have a loss of appetite and there is increased drooling. The maximum number of topical lignocaine application that can be used in this situation is?

Inflammation of the gingival tissues before complete emergence of the crown may cause a temporary painful condition that subsides within a few days. The surgical removal of the tissue covering the tooth to facilitate eruption is not indicated. If the child is having extreme difficulty, the application of a nonirritating topical anesthetic may bring temporary relief. The parent can apply the anesthetic to the affected tissue over the erupting tooth three or four times a day. Several low-dose products specifically formulated for infants are available without prescription. Caution must be exercised, however, when one is prescribing topical anesthetics, especially for infants, because systemic absorption of the anesthetic agent is rapid, and toxic doses can occur if the product is misused. The parent must clearly understand the importance of using the drug only as directed. The eruption process may be hastened if the child is allowed to chew on a piece of toast or a clean teething object.