[Drew]

Yea, better be extra careful with this stuff! In the worst case an allergic reaction can make your throat swell so badly you might suffocate and what not. Good idea about testing new stuff topically first.

I have tried to always find out what's the best there is before trying anything new, asking around which ones have been found effective and safe and so on.

wow! I didn't know that! 
I went to ER earlier this year as my throat was so massive it was repulsive I looked alien. Got all sorts of tests then they just said it was tonsillitis. It wasn't.