Severe Gag Reflex

Your gag reflex is your body’s natural response mechanism to protect you from choking when something touches the glossopharyngeal fibers in the back of your throat. While we all have a gag reflex, some patients have a more sensitive response than others, causing a need for specialized dental care. This can be a major deterrent and significant source of anxiety when getting dental treatment. At Alora Dentistry, our Napa dentist can help you get the dental care your smile needs despite your severe gag reflex.

A sensitive gag reflex can be psychological or physiological in nature. In either case, we have ways to address it. Many patients choose sedation dentistry to help them get through their dental procedures in a comfortable, relaxed manner. Whatever we can do to alleviate your worry of gagging during dental treatments, we are happy to do it. Our dentists are trained to accommodate patients with special needs, including severe gag reflex in children, teens and adults.

In addition to offering sedation dentistry and providing a soothing environment, we also educate patients on ways they can reduce or manage their severe gag reflex at the dentist, such as the following:

• Breathe through your nose.
• Take a nasal decongestant to open up the nasal passages.
• Use a throat spray to numb the nerve fibers at the back of your mouth.
• Stay distracted by listening to music or watching TV during treatments.
• Schedule an afternoon appointment, as studies show gag reflex to be stronger in the morning.
• Sit up straighter in the dental chair.
• Ask for sedation dentistry!

If you or someone you know suffers from a severe gag reflex, schedule your dental care appointment with a dentist who is qualified to address the condition. Alora Dentistry is your source for comfortable dental care for the entire family. Contact us to schedule an appointment.