Local anaesthetics are agents that interrupt the conduct of stimuli in the peripheral sensory nerves for a fixed period of time at the site of administration. In this way, they make a particular area pain-free. Depending on the type of chemical bond in their structure, local anaesthetics are divided into ester- and amide-types. The duration of action depends on the properties of the anaesthetics, and we can divide them into short-, medium- and long-acting anaesthetics. Degradation products are excreted in the urine and a small amount of anaesthetics is released unchanged. The most commonly used topical anaesthetics in dental medicine are articaine, lidocaine, levobupivacaine, mepivacaine and prilocaine. Local anaesthetics can cause local and systemic complications that need to be recognized in a timely manner and be alleviated or eliminated in a timely manner. The absolute contraindications for topical anaesthetics are an allergy to the anaesthetic that is supposed to be administered, and inflammation at the site where the anaesthetic is to be administered. Interactions of local anaesthetics with drugs are possible, and considering that there are more and more chronic patients nowadays who are constantly treated with various kind of drugs, it is very important for the dentist to account for possible interactions while performing his or her job. Properly checked anamnesis is an important prerequisite for the safe administration of anaesthetics. High-risk groups of people with whom it is necessary to be cautious when using topical anaesthetics are pregnant and lactating women, children, elderly people and patients with systemic diseases.