Involuntary Gag Reflex
Managing The Reflexive Gagging Response
Many dental patients avoid going to the dentist because
of an abnormally severe gag reflex.
Some patients cannot even brush
their back teeth without starting to gag. This is a
very real problem at the dentist office since many patients
may not be able to withstand having their tongue touched
with a dental mirror or other instruments (even fingers).
This gag reflex is instantaneous and makes it impossible
for many patients to complete even basic dental care.
Resultantly, such patients may
avoid going to the dentist for cleanings and dental
care for many years. It can become an embarrassing and
frustrating problem for patients.
Conscious Sedation Management Solutions
An excellent way to quell or obtain better control over
this exaggerated gag reflex is through sedation dentistry.
The administration of Oral and IV sedation support services
enables patients suffering from this problem to be helped
easily and comfortably.
Conscious Sedation can control
and eliminate the gag reflex response to almost any
number of stimuli or conditions that elicits this involuntary
behavior.
The sedation medications help
the patient achieve a state of total relaxation. They
can complete hours worth of dentistry easily and comfortably
with little memory of the appointment.
Some of the popular sedation
methods used by patients with severe gag reflex responses
are:
1. Nitrous Oxide
2. Benzocaine spray can be used
to briefly numb the gag reflex areas for simple things
like taking x-rays or taking an impression. The back
of the throat stays numb long enough for most people
to get through these procedures. For severe cases it
may not work.
3. Oral sedation with the Benzodiazepine
medications like Valium or Halcion can greatly reduce
the gag reflex response.
4. I.V. sedation medications
such as Versed or Fentanyl are also popularly effective
for eliminating the gag reflex.
Although patients will have unique
responses to the different types of sedation methods
used, the gag reflex can be effectively controlled.
The sedation medications not only eliminate the response
but allows the pleasant perception of time passing quickly
with little or no memory of treatments performed.
