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2 Things Dentists Can Do for Patients With Severe Gag Reflexes

websitebuilder • Dec 08, 2020

A Woman with a Beautiful Smile — Venice, FL — Davis & Beyer Dental Health Professionals

The gag reflex (GR) is a normal defense mechanism your body has to prevent foreign objects from entering your windpipe. However, some people may have incredibly sensitive gag reflexes due to a mental trigger, like an anxiety disorder or simply because of how their body is built.

For example, some people may have a narrow palate or extremely sensitive nerve endings in the oral cavity. Whatever the cause, some patients with severe GR may dread going to the dentist or avoid it altogether.

Forgoing dental care isn't a good idea, since you will miss out on the benefits of preventative care, like cancer screenings; and, you'll miss out on restorative care, like bridges or crowns. Discover two things your dentist can do to make the visit less stressful.

1. Use Sedation Methods

Sedation dentistry, or sleep dentistry, is a blessing for many people with anxiety. If you have a severe gag reflex, then sedation methods may be enough to get you through your appointment without discomfort. Different levels of sedation exist, such as minimal, moderate, and deep sedation.

Minimal Sedation

You'll be awake during minimal sedation, so if you are very sensitive to medications or anesthesia, this could be a good route. Your dentist will place a mask on your nose so that you can breathe in nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

Laughing gas has analgesic properties, so it can reduce pain and help you relax. One study found that a combination of 70% nitrous oxide and 30% oxygen helped patients with severe gag reflexes tolerate x-ray sensors.

Moderate Sedation

If minimal sedation isn't enough to ease your anxiety, you may want to try moderate sedation. About an hour before your appointment, your dentist may have you take an oral sedative, like Valium. You'll be groggy and you may fall asleep, but you should be able to wake up much more quickly than deeper sedation methods. Some people may not like moderate sedation since the medications may take longer to kick in.

Deep Sedation

Deep sedation involves medications that are administered through an IV. The great benefit of this method is that the sedative works quickly. Your dentist can control the amount of sedative through the IV, so this can be a good option if you are worried about other sedation methods wearing off too quickly.

2. Use Intraoral Technology

Some people with strong gag reflexes may dread dental visits because of impressions and x-ray sensors. The impression material may have a funny taste that bothers you, and some x-ray sensors may be too bulky for your palate.

The good news is that intraoral technology can eliminate these problems. Instead of taking alginate impressions, some dentists use intraoral cameras to scan teeth. These scanners may look similar in shape and size to a toothbrush, so they may not bother your gag reflex.

The scanners can capture all of the details of your teeth, and then your dentist can send these images to a dental lab where they can print a 3D model of the scanned images. Instead of using an alginate impression to create a model, dental technicians can use 3D-printed models of your teeth and build whatever dental appliance or prosthetic you need.

Do you need to get x-rays? Some people with strong gag reflexes cannot stand the feel of bulky x-ray sensors in their mouth, or they cannot hold still long enough to get a good image. The benefit of using intraoral technology is that your dentist can scan your teeth and get real-time results. You won't have to worry about holding still for long periods of time since these devices develop images quickly.

Reach out to Davis & Beyer Dental Health Professionals for more information on dental technology and sedation dentistry and how we can help you relieve gag reflex anxiety.

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