Buzz
The gag reflex, also known as the pharyngeal reflex, can make oral care a nightmare, causing nausea and the urge to gag while brushing your teeth or during a dental checkup. Many people have shared different methods to alleviate this condition, some of which are quite effective. You can use immediate solutions like numbing the soft palate or stimulating taste buds. For long-term relief, using a toothbrush to reduce sensitivity to the reflex or practicing distraction techniques can help you quickly forget the discomfort.
Steps
Immediate Solutions
Numbing the Soft Palate. When an object touches the soft palate in the throat, it can trigger the gag reflex. You can use over-the-counter numbing sprays like Chloraseptic to decrease sensitivity in the soft tissue area. Alternatively, you can apply a thin layer of benzocaine-containing topical pain relief gel with a cotton swab to numb the soft palate. The numbing effect lasts about one hour, reducing sensitivity in the palate during that time.
- Throat numbing sprays rarely cause side effects. However, if you experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, and/or stomach cramps after using them, discontinue use immediately.
- Be cautious when using products containing benzocaine. Cotton swabs may also trigger gag reflex or choking. Additionally, this medication may cause side effects like fatigue, weakness, ear itching, bluish skin around the lips and fingertips, or difficulty breathing.
- If allergic to benzocaine, you should limit the use of products containing this ingredient. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about potential interactions with other medications, vitamins, supplements, or herbal products you are currently taking.
Grip your thumb tightly. Fold your left thumb into your left palm, and curl your other fingers around it to form a fist. Hold it tight, but don’t let your fingers hurt. This technique helps you apply pressure to a point on your palm, which can help manage the gag reflex.
Place a bit of salt on the surface of your tongue. Wet the tip of your finger, dip it in salt, then touch it to the surface of your tongue. The salt will stimulate taste buds at the tip of your tongue, triggering a chain reaction that reduces the gag reflex almost immediately.
- Another option is to dissolve about a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and gargle with the solution. Don’t forget to spit out the salty water afterward!
Reducing Sensitivity to the Gag Reflex
Identify the area triggering the gag reflex. You can stimulate this reflex by using a toothbrush to brush your tongue, focusing on the tip of your tongue.
- If the gagging happens mostly in the morning, try to perform throat stimulation exercises later in the afternoon or evening.
- Do not insert your fingers into your mouth as this may cause vomiting.
If you hit the spot that makes you want to gag, start brushing your tongue. Yes, you will feel the urge to gag, and it may be unpleasant, but it won’t last long. Brush the area of your tongue for about 10 seconds (along with gagging). In the evening, continue brushing the same spot.
- You can repeat this process several times over consecutive evenings. The urge to gag will diminish after each session.
Expand the area. When you brush your tongue at the initial point and no longer feel the urge to gag, continue to broaden the area. Move 6 mm to 12 mm deeper from the original sensitive spot and repeat the process as you did with the first point.
Continue expanding the tongue-brushing area. Once you’ve made progress with a small area, you can gradually extend the practice to a larger and deeper range toward your throat. Over time, you’ll get accustomed to the brush touching the soft palate in your mouth.
Follow a daily desensitization routine. Be patient. This process should take about a month, and after that, you won’t experience nausea or the urge to gag during dental visits. To maintain effectiveness, you may need to repeat this desensitization process.
- Regular tongue brushing is also a great practice. Not only will it help you become less sensitive to the gag reflex, but it will also give you fresher breath.
Shift your focus.
Practice meditation. Ask your dentist if you can use headphones to block out the sound of the tools they’re using. This technique will help divert your attention to peaceful thoughts and images, temporarily forgetting what the dentist is doing. To prevent nodding off, you can ask the dentist to provide a jaw clamp to keep your mouth open during the procedure.
Hum in your mouth. This method helps you maintain a steady breathing rhythm and feel more relaxed. Additionally, it makes it harder to gag while mumbling. Try this technique when undergoing an X-ray or when you feel a tooth extraction coming on.
Lift one leg. Try this method while sitting or lying down in the dentist's chair and focus on the leg you’ve lifted. You can switch legs if one gets tired. This trick will help distract you from the dental procedure, especially when the dentist is working near your soft palate.
- Note: This technique won't work if you cross one leg over the other.
Listen to music. Ask your dentist if you can use headphones while getting your teeth cleaned or filled. Music can help calm your mind, or you can listen to something that requires intense focus. Listen to anything that helps, as it will distract you from what the dentist is doing.
Tips
- Try eating foods that make you feel nauseous. If you still feel queasy or the urge to gag afterward, avoid those foods.
- To reduce the chances of vomiting, it’s best not to eat before a dental checkup or before engaging in activities that might trigger the gag reflex.
Warnings
- When using a toothbrush to reduce sensitivity to the gag reflex, avoid brushing too deeply. You can desensitize the back of your tongue without needing to focus on the front. However, this is not the primary goal.
- Remember, this gag reflex is your body's way of protecting you from choking. Therefore, don’t try to completely eliminate the sensitivity of the soft palate.
- Excessive gagging could be a sign of more serious conditions like Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This condition originates from the stomach and is caused by the acid content in the stomach. Consult a doctor if you experience heartburn or a burning sensation in the stomach.
