When you’re a patient who has a sensitive gag reflex, dealing with dental care can become quite frustrating. Beyond the fact that some aspects of your dental hygiene at home can prove difficult, the same may become true of coming in to see us. You want to do all of the things we suggest, of course, to protect your oral health. However, when you gag through most of it, the decision to jump ship and hope for the best often takes over. Good news: We can help you with the difficult details! Follow some helpful suggestions for easier, more comfortable care.
Skip The Brush, Scrape Your Tongue Instead
Perhaps attempting to place your toothbrush head on the back of your tongue results in instant gagging. Maybe the sensation of your toothbrush bristles simply touching your tongue leads to gagging. In this case, we suggest you purchase a tongue scraper instead. It’s flat, it’s not bristly, and it can clean your tongue just as effectively for optimal home dental care. Chances are good, too, that it won’t make you gag.
Ask About Sedation!
Want to come in for the dental care you need but you always end up embarrassed, uncomfortable, and quite frustrated because of your gagging reflex? No problem. Talk with us about this issue. It happens to be more common than you might imagine. For serious concerns, we offer sedation to ensure you (and your body) can relax, so you can receive the care that your smile needs for excellent health.
