Article
Gagging/retching is a normal somatic response by the body, as it attempts to eliminate foreign bodies/objects from the oral cavity by way of muscular contraction of the pharyngeal wall and at the base of the tongue. Some patients, unfortunately, have an exaggerated gag reflex which can make dental treatment more difficult to tolerate and deliver. Gagging can be considered as multifactorial and patients can be categorized into two groups:
Whether it be taking an upper alginate impression, receiving routine dental treatment or, as in this article, taking occlusal photographs, gagging can be induced and this is accompanied by excessive salivation, lacrimation and vomiting.1
This experience can be quite traumatic, particularly for a younger patient, which may result in a loss of compliance, motivation, and subsequent avoidance of dental treatment, and the development of significant dental anxiety. From a clinical perspective, this may result in wasted time, stress or the inability to perform the desired procedure.
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