2007-01-09 02:55:12 · 17 answers · asked by gilz 2 in Health ➔ Dental
Like everyone says above its just a natural reflex to stop choking, if you pinch your earlobe whilst brushing, not too hard, but quite firmly, it will reduce the gag relex, we make patients do this when we take impressions and 80% of the time it does help!
2007-01-10 07:10:53 · answer #1 · answered by jazzyb 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah I do the same when brushing the insides of my back teeth! It is bloody annoying!! Like someone said earlier it is just a reflex to protect you from choking, and I guess some people are just more sensitive to having objects close to their pharnyx! As you probably know the pharnyx is where the nasal cavity and oral cavity meet. Typically when you eat, the soft palate (a tissue flap at the back of the mouth) closes the nasal cavity and the epiglottis closes the trachea to prevent food going down the wrong way. Thus when you are brushing your teeth because you are not engaging in eating if any object gets too close to the back of the throat a reflex will occur to prevent the object going down your throat and possibly choking you!
2007-01-09 08:39:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gagging is your bodies natural defense from choking. Try smiling while brushing your teeth. It will relax the gag reflex.
2007-01-09 03:00:15 · answer #3 · answered by Lady79 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's a natural defensive reflex and it's quite common.
Try a non-foaming toothpaste and a toothbrush with a smaller head, even a child's brush. You could also try a desensitizing throat spray such as Chloroseptic before you brush.
2007-01-09 04:48:45 · answer #4 · answered by LaLa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a gagger also. I now have braces and have a problem with them also. They want to put to much in my mouth. I find if I brush my teeth after I am up for a bit it is better, I think it has to do with post nasal drip.
PAul
2007-01-09 03:26:02 · answer #5 · answered by Ana G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do that too! my dad does aswell, so much that he is often sick. It just a natural thing I guess. For me it is when I get toothpaste at the back of my throat! yuk! i found that an electric tooth brush helps as i have more control. maybe change the taste of your tooth paste?
2007-01-10 10:07:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
try changing your toothpaste, I only gag when I use any type of Colgate toothpaste, it is very common, just keep getting the sample toothpaste from your dentist until you find one that doesn't make you gag, Macleans works for me.
good luck finding one.
2007-01-09 07:51:56 · answer #7 · answered by janet h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You just have a strong gag reflex. It's actually normal!!
2007-01-09 04:32:13 · answer #8 · answered by Treyes 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strange none of my friends ever had this and my dentist thought I was mad. But I find if I brush the outside of my back teeth first and then the inside mostly it helps, sometimes it doesn't and was much worse when I was Pregnant!!!!!!!!
2007-01-09 03:06:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
dont clean your teeth
2007-01-09 04:18:23 · answer #10 · answered by dream theatre 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋