Do you have a bad gag reflex and is it keeping you from seeing a dentist? If you have a bad/sensitive gag reflex, it’s no wonder you avoid the dentist. Our dentists at Gendler Dental Center understand the issue with bad gag reflex and can work with you to make your dental visit as enjoyable as possible.

The importance of dental examinations and regular dental check-ups cannot be denied and if you’re avoiding the dentist because of your gag reflex, your teeth and your dental health will suffer.

Individuals with sensitive gag reflexes won’t visit the dentist — who wants to have a dental cleaning if you feel like you’re going to vomit? Not many people, we understand!

What causes a sensitive gag reflex?

It can be the result of a psychological or physiological factor. When you have a bad gag reflex you will feel as though you can’t catch your breath. This feeling of not being able to breathe is frightening — to say the least — and leads to a physical expression of panic.

Other people with bad gag reflexes feel as though they cannot stop swallowing.

Still others have a hard time even brushing their teeth because of a sensitive gag reflex.

Know that you’re not alone. Know that the dentists at Gendler Dental Center have worked with patients who have bad gag reflexes and they have come up with methods to help you cope.

Here are methods we tell our patients about so they can relax in the dental chair:

• Breath through your nose.
• Ask for nitrous oxide aka laughing gas. This gas can help if you have a sensitive gag reflex.
• One way to desensitize your gag reflex is to touch your toothbrush against your palate. When you feel the urge to gag, concentrate on deep nose breathing and the feeling may pass. This is a method you can work on and build up your tolerance over time.
• Knowing what triggers your gag reflex is a starting point to finding ways to manage it.

Make certain you let us know about your bad gag reflex when you schedule your dental examination. The only way we will know, is if you tell us — well, we will notice when you’re in the chair, of course but knowing in advance will help us to help you.

If you have avoided the dentist because of your bad gag reflex, please don’t do that any longer. Call our Hopkins, MN dental office today, let us know and let us help you with that and with getting a dental examination.