How to Not Gag at the Dentist

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A trip to the dentist doesn’t have to be a big deal. However, if you’re someone with a strong gag reflex or if going to the dentist makes you feel particularly nervous and want to gag, it can be a real drag! Luckily, there are things you can do to not gag at the dentist. We’ve put together this list of tips and tricks to try to make your next trip to the dentist more comfortable.

1

Breathe through your nose.

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  1. Even if you typically breathe through your mouth, focus on breathing slowly in and out of your mouth whenever you’re at the dentist’s office. If you’re feeling stuffy before your appointment, take a nasal decongestant. [1]
    • 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]
    • 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.
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2

Use a numbing throat spray.

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  1. Open up wide and spray your throat 2-3 times with a numbing throat spray just before your dental appointment. The numbing effect typically lasts up to 1 hour.
    • Another type of spray you can try is snore relief spray. [3]
    • 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.
3

Rub table salt on your tongue.

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  1. Rub a little bit of ordinary table salt on the tip of your tongue before you sit down for a dental treatment. Try rubbing salt on the sides of your tongue as well. [4]
    • This works because salt stimulates your taste sensors, which can make your gag reflex less extreme. [5]
    • 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!
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4

Put a graham cracker under your tongue.

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  1. Lift up your tongue and stick a small graham cracker underneath it. Lower your tongue and press the cracker against your mandible, or the lower part of your jaw. [6]
    • 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.
5

Listen to music during a dental procedure.

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  1. Put in a pair of headphones and press play on your favorite playlist when you sit down in the dentist’s chair. Focus on the music and sing along in your head to distract yourself. [7]
    • 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.
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6

Hum when the dentist puts a tool in your mouth.

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  1. As soon as the dentist sticks something in your mouth that makes you want to gag, start humming. The effort and the vibrating sensation in your nasal passage prevents you from gagging. [8]
    • 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.
7

Lift your ankle and calf off the dental chair.

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  1. Whenever you feel the urge to gag, lift your ankle and calf up and hold them in the air. The additional signals this sends to your brain can put gagging on the backburner. [9]
    • 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.
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8

Schedule appointments later in the day.

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  1. If this is the case for you, schedule your trips to the dentist’s office in the afternoon. That way, you won’t feel like gagging as much when you’re in their chair! [10]
    • Or, if your gag reflex happens to be worse later in the day, schedule your appointments in the mornings.
9

Ask your dentist to sedate you.

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  1. Ask your dentist if they can administer nitrous oxide, oral sedation, or IV sedation before they perform their work. Before you know it, the procedure is all done! [11]
    • 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.
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10

Practice not gagging when you brush your teeth.

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  1. Try brushing your tongue and putting your toothbrush far back enough to make you want to gag. Resist the urge to gag as much as possible. Keep practicing this to try and overcome your sensitivity. [12]
    • 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.

Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I stop being scared of the dentist?
    Alina Lane, DDS
    Board Certified Dentist
    Dr. Alina Lane is a Dentist who runs All Smiles Dentistry, a general practice dental office based in New York City. After completing a DDS at the University of Maryland, Dr. Lane completed a year-long clerkship in Implantology at the University of Maryland, where she focused on the advanced restoration of dental implants. She continued her advanced education by completing a General Practice Residency at Woodhull Medical Center, an affiliate of the NYU School of Medicine. She received the Woodhull Medical Center Resident of the Year 2012-2013.
    Alina Lane, DDS
    Board Certified Dentist
    Expert Answer
    If you suffer from fear of going to the dentist, it may help to keep your first visit as short and sweet as possible. A first visit generally consists of a dentist performing an exam to evaluate your oral health, x-rays, and a cleaning. It may also help to inform any office staff of your anxiety so they can be prepared, and hopefully provide you with reassurance that you will be well taken care of!
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    What characteristics should people be looking for when they're trying to find a new dentist?
    Joseph Whitehouse, MA, DDS
    Board Certified Dentist
    Dr. Joseph Whitehouse is a retired Board-Certified Dentist and the Former President of the World Congress on Minimally Invasive Dentistry (WCMID). Based in Castro Valley, California, Dr. Whitehouse was a dentist for 47 years. He has held fellowships with the International Congress of Oral Implantology and with the WCMID. Published over 20 times in medical journals, Dr. Whitehouse's research focused on mitigating fear and apprehension for patients associated with dental care. Dr. Whitehouse earned a DDS from the University of Iowa in 1970. He also earned an MA in Counseling Psychology from California State University Hayward in 1988.
    Joseph Whitehouse, MA, DDS
    Board Certified Dentist
    Expert Answer
    The lab person who makes dentures or crowns for the dentists knows a number of dentists and knows who his good clients are. I would call up a local dental lab and say, "If you had to send your sister to a dentist, who would you send her to?" It would probably be one of his clients because he knows more about those people than anybody else. The other thing is to ask people you know, "Are you satisfied with the dental care you're getting? How do you feel treated?" The best outcome is when the patient feels satisfied, pays their bill and refers other people. That's how we know we did our job. I always want the patient to walk out feeling as though they got what they came for in a way that works for them. We would make sure we customized how we supported the patient around the psychological end of it, as well as making sure that we were doing whatever we needed to do clinically in a comfortable enough way that they could cope with it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.dentallearning.org/course/NitrousOxide/Nitrous2CE.pdf
      2. ↑ https://familydoctor.org/nasal-sprays-how-to-use-them-correctly/
      3. ↑ https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/fears/gagging/
      4. ↑ https://www.speareducation.com/spear-review/2015/09/understanding-and-managing-gagging-patients
      5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK50958/
      6. ↑ https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/16408078/tips-and-tricks-preventing-activation-of-gag-reflex-when-exposing-radiographs
      7. ↑ https://www.speareducation.com/spear-review/2015/09/understanding-and-managing-gagging-patients
      8. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259113703_Immediate_Effectiveness_of_Humming_on_the_Supraglottic_Compression_in_Subjects_with_Muscle_Tension_Dysphonia
      9. ↑ https://www.dentaleconomics.com/science-tech/article/16393468/control-patient-gagging
      1. ↑ https://www.danvilledentalcare.com/how-to-handle-your-sensitive-gag-reflex/
      2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5564139/
      3. ↑ https://www.rdhmag.com/patient-care/article/16408078/tips-and-tricks-preventing-activation-of-gag-reflex-when-exposing-radiographs

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