Fear of Gagging During Your Dental Visit

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Many people have a sensitive gag reflex or a fear of gagging. Psychological factors, or physiological factors, such as the fear of losing control or past traumatic experiences, can contribute to having a major fear of gagging during dental treamtent. The good news is, is that gagging is a common fear and dentists have lots of experience with working with patients who experience the fear of gagging.

The following are a few tips and tricks that will help to ease the fear of gagging during your next dental visit, as well as may relieve the gagging all together.

Breathe through your nose.
Concentrating on breathing through your nose will help you relax and ease the anxiety. Some people find that taking nasal decongestants to help clear their airways works well.

Talk to your dentist or dental staff.
Communicating your fear with the dentist is a big help. Let them know what procedures triggered gagging in the past and maybe an alternative solution is available. When the dentist and assistant are aware of your fears and concerns, they can adjust their technique during the procedure to help reduce the risk of gagging during the procedure.

Listen to your favorite music, audio book, or radio.
Bring along headphones and whatever portable music device you have with you to your dental visit. When listening to your favorite music or audio book, you will find yourself beginning to focus on what you are listening to and not the dental procedure itself.

Lift one leg up in the air.
If you feel the gag reflex coming on, lift one or both legs up in the air. This will cause your stomach muscles to tighten and it helps relieve the gagging. Some dentists will recommend lifting one leg up in the air and focusing on that to take your mind off of the fear of gagging.

Schedule an appointment at a good time of the day for you.
If you find yourself more likely to gag in the morning, schedule your dental appointments for the afternoon. If you don't have a time of day where gagging is usually worse, schedule your appointments for the morning. In the morning, you may find yourself more relaxed and not stressed out from a busy morning at work or whatever stressful events that may occur throughout the day.

Use of a topical numbing product.
There are many products on the market designed to relieve a sore throat. Some of them are liquids and some are sprays. The product is designed to numb your throat. If your gag reflex is numb before your dental procedure, you are less likely to gag during the procedure.

Take anti-anxiety medicine.
If you are currently taking any anti-anxiety medicine, make sure to take the medicine before your appointment. If you have a fear of the dentist or the procedure and can feel your anxiety increasing due to having to visit the dentist, talk to your dentist. There are several recommendations the dentist can make to help relieve your anxiety and/or the dentist may decide to prescribe some anti-anxiety medicine to be taken before your dental appointment.


Some people have a hard time having x-rays taken, especially bitewings. These are some helpful tips for the next time you need to have x-rays:

Hum while the x-ray film is in your mouth.
It's impossible to hum and gag at the same time. The humming also takes your mind off of having the x-ray film in your mouth and the possibility of gagging.

Use of smaller sized film.
X-ray film is available in different sizes. Your dentist or hygienist may choose to use x-ray film that is designed to fit into a child's mouth or slightly larger. Because the film is smaller in size, there is less chance of touching the gag reflex and you will not feel like your mouth is fillid with a huge film packet.

Hold the film packet in place with your finger.
Ask your dentist or hygienist if it is possible for you to hold the film packet in place with your finger instead of using one of the traditional film holders.

One of the most important things you can do, is to talk to your dentist. The more aware your dentist is of your fear, the easier it will be for the dentist to work with you on solutions that will help you get through your dental visit as quickly and comfortably as possible. Do not be afraid to talk to your dentist. The fear of gagging is a very common fear and it's nothing to be embarassed or ashamed of.