Gag reflex when brushing your teeth: reasons, what to do if you feel sick?

The gag reflex that occurs when brushing your teeth is quite common among adults and children. Of course, many people are worried about the cause of this condition.

Some believe that the cause is an infection or bacteria in the oral cavity, others associate it with the intolerance of the body to the components of the toothpaste, but it's not so simple. It is important to know the reasons for the nausea that occurs when brushing your teeth in each case, as well as how to act correctly so as not to harm the body.

The mechanism of the gag reflex

The gag reflex is a defense mechanism of the body that occurs as a result of the influence of external stimuli. Typically, these irritants can be:

• smells;
• irritated taste buds;
• foreign body in the throat;
• intolerance to the components of the drugs used;
• pregnancy;
• poisoning.

The situation is simple - I brush my teeth and ditch right there ...

Vomiting can occur when brushing your teeth, which may be due to a number of reasons that require immediate clarification. Nauseous at the moment when you brush your teeth, as a rule, because there is irritation of the back wall of the pharynx and the root of the tongue. It is noted that gagging may be associated with psychosomatic manifestations and self-hypnosis.

A typical situation is in the morning when brushing teeth a person is visited by mild nausea, which subsequently develops more and more, provoking a gag reflex. The person feels some discomfort at the sight toothbrush or pastes. This phenomenon can be called more psychological than physiological deviation.

This happens because when a person sees toothpaste, a signal is sent to the brain. As a result, the body remembers the traumatic process of the gag reflex. Nausea in this case acts as a kind of warning, an impulse signal. However, the cleanliness of the teeth should be maintained, as this is the key to human health.

But it is not always a matter of psychology, sometimes the reasons due to which the gag reflex appears when you brush your teeth are more prosaic:

1. Fluoride content of toothpaste. Fluoride is beneficial for healthy tooth enamel. Supersaturation or high content of this element can act as an irritant in the human body. It is the large amount of fluoride that causes vomiting. Vomiting acts as a defensive reaction, a means of releasing excess fluoride from the body. Fluoride is found in many toothpastes, you should consider its amount in the composition before use.
2. Excessive body fatigue may cause gagging. In such cases, the use of a mechanical brush is recommended. Brushing your teeth should be done quickly in the morning, and brush your teeth more thoroughly in the evening to avoid nausea.
3. Bad habits, namely smoking. A sufficient amount of nicotine accumulates in the oral cavity, which, during cleaning, is redirected to the pharyngeal wall and the root of the tongue. This serves as an irritant and causes the corresponding reaction of the body. To get rid of nausea is possible only by quitting smoking or reducing nicotine intake.
4. Effects of foaming toothpaste. It is recommended to switch to another hard toothpaste.
5. Tonsillitis - inflammation in the tonsils. Irritation occurs as a result of contact of the toothpaste with the inflamed areas of the tonsils.

How to stop hugging the toilet?

To get rid of the nausea that occurs when brushing your teeth in the morning, you should first find the cause of the vomiting. If the reaction is caused by smoking, it is necessary to gradually give up the bad habit.

Special attention should be paid to the purchase of toothpaste. Most people suffer from nausea precisely because of the wrong set of components that are difficult for the body to perceive. Therefore, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the products and their composition before using.

In case of irritation with tonsillitis, it is necessary to consult a doctor, as this disease is quite serious and can become chronic, after which nausea can not only intensify, but also become practically incurable.

If, despite everything, the oral hygiene continues to "muddy", it is better to seek help from a doctor. In most cases, nausea does not go away only during pregnancy.

Vomiting can also be triggered by extreme stress, psychological distress, and prolonged smoking. In all these situations, you should not try to fix the problem yourself.

The gag reflex can also occur during dental treatment:

When "muddies" our children

Stress is the most common reason a child can feel sick when brushing their teeth. A child in the early stages can receive a strong shock, which is directly related to psychological characteristics.

The kid follows in advance teach cleaning techniques in a playful manner, which will noticeably increase his interest in the procedure. As a result, the nausea will pass, and brushing the teeth will cease to be a torment for the child.

Vomiting during oral hygiene is rarely a symptom of certain medical conditions. As a rule, this phenomenon indicates irritation of the pharynx and the root of the tongue.

Nausea can be caused by an allergic reaction to one of the components of the toothpaste or the presence of a large amount of fluoride. This factor should be taken into account.

If this condition occurs with an inflammatory process in the throat, then this may be the cause of the formation of an infection. Therefore, at the first symptoms, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe the correct treatment.