Gag Reflex Dentist

Whether you have a minor or severe gag reflex, we are here to work with you to make your dental visits more comfortable.

There is no doubt that many people are a bit anxious before getting into the dentist’s chair. For those patients who have strong gag reflexes, just the thought of being in the dentist’s chair is enough to trigger one.

Of course, the worst possible solution is to avoid going to the dentist at all. Delaying dental treatment because of a strong gag reflex is a common reason that many people face the risk of serious health concerns.

For some people, their gag reflex may be easily triggered when visiting the dentist or doctor for a routine checkup or procedure. For others, their gag reflex may be so sensitive that they can’t even swallow a pill. If you are in this situation, don’t worry, there are several methods you can try to prevent your gag reflex from interfering with your oral and physical health.

Whether you have a minor or severe gag reflex in St. Louis, we will work with you to make your dental visits more comfortable.

How Is The Gag Reflex Triggered?

The best way to reduce the effects of your gag reflex is to understand what triggers it. There has been a long debate in the scientific community about whether physical or psychological factors play a more significant part in producing a gag reflex. The truth is, it is a combination of both of those things.

The gag reflex, otherwise known as the pharyngeal reflex, is one of the body’s many defense mechanisms. In particular, this defense mechanism is made to keep objects from getting in your throat and blocking your airway, which could, in turn, cause choking.

The severity of the gag reflex can differ from person to person, as many people barely have gag reflexes at all. With that said, it is a relatively common physiological factor for people who have overactive gag reflexes.

As to why people have active gag reflexes in the dentist’s chair, much of it can be tributed to the added stress and anxiety of being in that environment.

Lessening Your Gag Reflex

Regardless of if your gag reflex is the effect of physiological or psychological factors, there are a few things that you can do to lessen your gag reflex while you are at the dentist.

• Breathe Through Your Nose – When your mouth is propped open, it can seem that mouth breathing becomes the default. However, breathing through your mouth is one of the most common triggers of the gag reflex. We recommend turning your attention towards your nose and breathing with it rather than your mouth.

• Refrain From Swallowing Your Saliva – Let’s face it, the idea of drooling while sitting in the dentist’s chair is an idea that we could do without. However, one of the main reasons people tend to gag while in the chair is that they attempt to swallow their saliva. Instead, saliva will be suctioned out effortlessly during your procedure.

• Distract Yourself – Sometimes, we find that all patients need to keep from gagging is a good distraction. The type of distraction that a person needs is entirely up to them. Some enjoy watching a movie or listening to music, while others enjoy having a stress ball to squeeze. Others want self-hypnosis techniques to help get them in the right frame of mind.

• Employing Sedation – Our specialty at The Dental Anesthesia Center is sedation and sleep dentistry. For some patients who have severe gag reflexes, some form of sedation might be necessary so that you can have the best dental experience. There are different levels of sedation that we can administer, so make sure to speak with your dentist before your appointment to see if this type of procedure is right for you.

We’re Here To Keep You Comfortable

Here at The Dental Anesthesia Center, we want to make sure that your visit to the dentist is comfortable and painless. We offer sedation dentistry for patients who have severe and sensitive gag reflexes in the St. Louis area.

Regular dental visits are necessary to maintain proper oral health, and not visiting the dentist because of a severe gag reflex is not the solution. For patients with gag reflex in St. Louis, give us a call at (314) 862-7844 to schedule an appointment! We look forward to seeing you!