If you have trouble breathing through your nose, you can also try a nasal saline spray or a nasal strip to help clear you up before your appointment. [2] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor. org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source This can help a lot during dental x-rays, for example, because you don’t notice the x-ray holder in your mouth as much. Or, it can help whenever your mouth is full of other dental tools that make it uncomfortable to breathe through your mouth.
Another type of spray you can try is snore relief spray. [4] X Research source There are also numbing mouthwashes that can help relieve your gag reflex. This could make you much more comfortable during a routine cleaning, for example, if you always feel the urge to gag as soon as the dentist starts cleaning your teeth.
This works because salt stimulates your taste sensors, which can make your gag reflex less extreme. [6] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source This technique is fine to use before any type of dental procedure that typically makes you want to gag. You can also try swishing salt water around in your mouth. Just make sure to spit it out when you’re done!
Try this when you have to take x-rays, for example. The distraction can help stop you from gagging when the dentist puts the x-ray holder in your mouth. Keep in mind that the dentist probably doesn’t want you to have food in your mouth if they’re cleaning your teeth or pulling a tooth or something like that. For those procedures, try a different technique.
This can work for any type of dental procedure because headphones don’t interfere with the dentist working at all. You could also ask the dentist to let you watch something on TV, if they have one. Many dentist’s offices have TVs to distract their patients.
This is another technique that you can use during any type of dental procedure, such as a cleaning or x-rays. If you’re listening to music, hum along with the tune of the song.
Ask your dentist before you try this technique to make sure that moving your leg around doesn’t interfere with their work. Try combining this with other distractions like humming or listening to music to really distract yourself.
Or, if your gag reflex happens to be worse later in the day, schedule your appointments in the mornings.
The disadvantage of this is that you can’t drive after your appointment, so you’ll need to ask someone to take you home. If you have extreme dental anxiety, this might be the best option for you.
Remember that gagging is a perfectly normal reaction to having things near the back of your throat. It’s a natural defensive reaction against choking, so sometimes you can train that defense to be less extreme.
