Abstract
Gagging reflex poses a hurdle in numerous dental procedures. It causes discomfort for the patient, extended procedure time for the clinician, compromised quality of treatment and along with a lot of physiological discomfort for both. The normal gag reflex is protective in nature, but few individuals elicit extreme response, leading to problems during the treatment procedures. It is extremely important for the clinician to identify the cause and severity of the condition so that it can be decided whether the patient can handle standard treatment techniques or whether alternative methods must be considered. There is no universal solution for successfully managing the gagging patient. Various modalities can be used according to the doctor’s assessment and patient’s conditions in order to control the gag reflex so that the patient can be comfortable and cope with the dental treatment. A wide range of management solutions are available, and many cases need a combination of therapeutic procedures. The main aim of the present article is to comprehensively report the clinical significance, etiology, symptoms and various management approaches used during prosthodontic treatments.
Highlights
Clinically known as pharyngeal reflex, is an involuntaryphysiological phenomenon in human that is complex in nature [1,2,3]
Identifying the severity of this condition enables the physician to determine if the patient can handle standard treatment techniques or an alternative method must be considered [4]
This review article compiles the various aspects of neurophysiology, etiology, classification, assessment of the gag reflex and the various methods available in literature for controlling it
Summary
Clinically known as pharyngeal reflex, is an involuntaryphysiological phenomenon in human that is complex in nature [1,2,3]. Identifying the severity of this condition enables the physician to determine if the patient can handle standard treatment techniques or an alternative method must be considered [4]. It can be managed by properly educating the patients through the procedure and providing a calm environment [5]. Many treatment modalities including psychological intervention, prosthodontic management, systemic desensitization, pharmacological methods, surgical correction, acupressure and acupuncture have been tried to curb the gag reflex [6,7]
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