How to Get Rid of Your Gag Reflex
A gag reflex is the contraction of the back of our throat that gets triggered by objects touching several parts of your mouth. Although it helps prevent choking, it can be very unpleasant for people with a strong gag reflex, making it hard to do things such as go to the dentist or brush their teeth. 5-Minute Crafts has 6 techniques you can try out to help reduce it.
1. Desensitize your gag reflex using a toothbrush.
This is a good way to reduce or eliminate your gag reflex by getting your tongue accustomed to being touched. This is how you should do it:
- With the help of a soft toothbrush, brush your tongue until you reach the area that makes you feel like you might gag. If you gag, you’ve brushed too far.
- Brush that area for around 15 seconds.
- Repeat this process once a day until you no longer feel the need to gag.
- Then, you can move the brush slightly further back, about 1/4 inches to 1/2 inches, and repeat the process. Keep moving it further and further until you’ve come to the visual end of your tongue.
2. Try some relaxation techniques.
Relaxation techniques may reduce your risk of gagging, so you should consider them. Try some meditation and self-guided visualization.
3. Put pressure on key points in your body.
Applying pressure to the palm of your hand may change your trigger points and reduce your gag reflex for at least 30 seconds, making it so you can do things like brush the teeth that are located at the very back of your mouth.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Using your left hand, put your thumb against the inside of your palm.
- Make a tight fist with your fingers.
- Hold it for a few seconds.
4. Use the temporal tap technique.
This is a very effective technique for many people, and it’s very easy to perform. You only need to do a circle of tapping that starts at the front of your ear and then goes around in a loose circle until you reach the back.
5. Listen to music.
Listening to music is effective at reducing the gag reflex, as it can easily redirect your focus.
6. Sit up straighter.
Something as simple as sitting up straighter can help some people feel better, so you should always try to see if it helps you.