{"id":181,"date":"2017-01-11T13:21:11","date_gmt":"2017-01-11T13:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsofttouch.com\/blog\/?p=181"},"modified":"2020-05-04T12:03:26","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T12:03:26","slug":"dental-care-sensitive-gag-reflex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsofttouch.com\/blog\/dental-care-sensitive-gag-reflex\/","title":{"rendered":"Dental Care With A Sensitive Gag Reflex"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"O'Fallon<\/a>If you gag easily, going to the dentist can be a major source of dread and anxiety. While we all have a natural gag reflex, some people have one that is more sensitive than others. A gag reflex is essentially your body\u2019s natural response to regurgitate a potential obstruction in the throat to prevent choking.<\/p>\n

When something touches the glossopharyngeal nerve fibers behind the nasal cavity at the very back of your mouth, the brain sends signals to \u201cgag\u201d and get the object back up. It is designed to be a protection mechanism. However, when these pharyngeal nerve fibers are overly sensitive, it can be problematic \u2013 especially in the dental chair. <\/p>\n

Your sensitive gag reflex can be psychological or physiological in nature. Either way, it doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t receive dental care in a comfortable, stress-free way. Sedation dentistry is a highly effective tool to help patients stay relaxed during dental treatments, whether they are just anxious about the appointment or have a problem with gagging easily. At Soft Touch Dentistry, we are proud to offer a full menu of sedation options, including oral sedation, nitrous oxide and I.V. Sedation.<\/p>\n

In addition to sedation dentistry<\/a>, there are also a few tips you can try to reduce your likelihood of gagging during dental treatments:<\/p>\n