A strong involuntary gag reflex and dentistry aren’t typically a good combination. For patients with this condition, nearly everything about dentistry is difficult. But excessive gagging can’t be allowed to get in the way of dental hygiene/ procedures. With effort, you and your doctor together can solve the problem. The questions to answer are what causes you to gag? and Stimulation to which part of the mouth results in gagging. Once that is determined, make sure to not engage/desensitize those areas as you find ways to calm yourself. Your dentist can apply a topical anaesthetic spray or gel that numbs the soft palate, therefore, desensitise you and allowing the dentist to do the needful and making the whole experience tolerable for you. Another method us the usage of common salt. By placing in on the tongue, the gag reflex is reduced. A third method is to focus on the patient and encouraging them to take nice, even breaths in and out through their nose. This will relax them and weaken the flight-or-fight response. Distractions, like listening to calming music or maybe by squishing a stress ball, can also help.At 32 Intact, we use Rubber Dams for isolation the work area from the rest of the oral cavity. This almost completely eliminates your gag reflex. More about Rubber Dams in our next post. #BetterPractises #BetterDentistry
Dr Reuben Joseph, MDS
Endodontist
32Intact Dental, Chennai