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Why do I gag when I brush my teeth

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

The tooth brushing technique is an important part of our daily lives and one of the pillars of personal hygiene. Brushing your teeth properly is essential, since you will have pleasant breath and your teeth will look clean and fresh. It is recommended that in order to have strong and healthy teeth , people brush at least three times a day with a suitable toothbrush and toothpaste. In addition, dentists recommend the use of complementary accessories such as dental floss and mouthwashes. Probably, you have ever experienced that brushing your teeth makes you nauseous or vomit and that it is more frequent in the morning. If you don’t know the most common reasons why I gag when I brush my teeth, this article from FastlyHealwill be very helpful.

Gag reflex

There are occasions when gagging occurs when brushing the teeth due to a marked gag reflex. It is a reflex of the back of the throat which means that she reacts when she feels an object approaching her, so she contracts the muscles of the pharynx , triggering the symptoms. It is a physiological property that the throat has to prevent you from choking on something.

This sensation is usually more frequent in the most posterior area of ​​the tongue, near its base and where the throat begins, so the best thing you can do is avoid a very deep washing of the tongue , helping you rather with rinses and gargling to sanitize the area.

Brushing technique

It is important to have a correct tooth brushing technique, since if you practice the wrong one, it can cause gagging when brushing your teeth.

Some people believe that by brushing too hard they are cleaning the surface of the teeth better and this is totally false. Brushing so hard may cause you to hit the inside of your throat, resulting in nausea. Therefore, it is recommended that you brush your teeth slowly and use a soft bristle brush.

Gagging when brushing your teeth in pregnancy

For some pregnant women, nausea or vomiting is a symptom that affects their day to day and is even worse when they get up, although there are some that present it throughout the day. The reason why nausea appears in pregnant women is not known exactly, however, some studies have shown that their digestive system is more sensitive to the changes that occur during pregnancy.

Likewise, as the arcades are present when getting up or during the day, it is normal that when brushing, especially the first brushing, the nausea intensifies and this is because of the same sensitivity, so the throat feels that it is approaching a foreign object and produces the arcade that comes from the stomach. However, you must accept that it is a condition considered normal.

In the following article, we show some tips to avoid nausea in pregnancy .

How to avoid gagging when brushing your teeth

  • Brush your teeth with a soft-bristle brush and learn the correct brushing techniques.
  • Breathe through your mouth while you brush. If you have already gagged, try to breathe deeply and do not stop, since it only worsens the condition.
  • Try to relax your throat muscles, do not strain your throat by opening your mouth too much. Remember that you must brush gently and you do not need to open your mouth excessively.
  • Choose the toothpaste that you consider most suitable for you. There are pastes on the market that have a very strong smell and taste that can trigger gagging. This is more common to occur in pregnant women, since their sense of smell and stomach are more sensitive.
  • Brush your tongue from the inside out, without pressing too much and without taking the brush so far back, with these movements you will properly clean your tongue and avoid gagging. As the symptoms improve, you can move the brush back more and more.
  • Use mouthwash to boost the removal of bacteria from your mouth if you feel like you haven’t cleaned your mouth properly.
  • If the arches are very marked when brushing, stop brushing for now and try later.
  • Brush slowly, with gentle movements and little by little.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why do I gag when I brush my teeth , we recommend that you enter our Teeth and Mouth category .

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