The gag reflex that occurs when brushing your teeth can ruin your mood for the whole day. If vomiting bothers you very often, then you need to look for the cause. Perhaps there are health problems that urgently need to be addressed. The article discusses the possible reasons for the appearance of such a symptom.
Tip #1: Determine the source of the problem and change your cleaning tactics
Let's start with the fact that if a gag reflex occurs when brushing your teeth, this usually means one of the body's protective reactions to an external irritant. This reaction is unconditional, which means you cannot control it. Therefore, you first need to find out why you feel sick when brushing your teeth.
Let's look at the main reasons:
- incorrect technique for cleaning teeth and gums: perhaps you press too hard on the brush or push it too deeply into the oral cavity, for example, when trying to clean your tongue (there are a large number of receptors on the root of the tongue, and accordingly, exposure to it causes involuntary spasms). And excessive mechanical pressure causes resistance and a negative reaction of the body,
Improper brushing technique can cause problems - toothpaste contains dyes, flavors and preservatives: a reaction can occur at the level of sensations (irritation of taste, tactile, olfactory receptors), i.e. your body will reject unpleasant or dangerous foods that have a characteristic smell or taste. Also, the cause of the problem may be an allergy to the components of the paste,
- Negative experience: Some researchers believe that the gag reflex when brushing teeth may have psychological causes. Most often, in this case, it occurs in children, for example, if the children have previously had negative experiences with dentists or they simply do not like the procedure of daily and mandatory oral hygiene, and their parents force them to do this from a young age. Therefore, try from the very beginning to accustom your child to hygiene in a playful way, and not through coercion, so that the baby develops a positive attitude and a positive experience becomes established,
Teach your child hygiene from an early age - colds: inflammation of the nasopharynx increases the sensitivity of the mucous membrane, root of the tongue, tonsils (for example, with tonsillitis),
- general weakness: even under stress and strain at work, you may experience an unpleasant symptom,
- the presence of bad habits: no one will argue with the fact that when smoking (nicotine and tar derivatives again accumulate on the root of the tongue and the walls of the nasopharynx) or alcohol abuse, the human body already receives a sufficient dose of intoxication, and manipulations carried out while brushing teeth , serve as a kind of catalyst, provoking the gag reflex,
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: then vomiting will be accompanied by upset stool, pain in the abdomen and stomach, heartburn, the appearance of a white or yellow coating on the tongue,
- pregnancy: often the problem occurs in women due to the development of toxicosis.
Pregnancy often causes nausea
“I used to wonder: why do I feel bitter in my mouth and feel sick when I brush my teeth in the morning? When I went to see a therapist, took tests and was examined, it turned out that I had cholecystitis. It turns out that with this disease there is stagnation of bile, so in the morning when trying to brush your teeth, a strong gag reflex occurs. I was cured and now there is no such problem. So don’t guess, but immediately go to the doctor and get examined quickly.”
Maria Karpova, review from 32top.ru
Causes
There are quite a lot of factors that provoke the problem. Some pose no particular danger other than discomfort. But there are also reasons that cannot be ignored.
Factors to be eliminated include:
- Pregnancy. Toxicosis is a known condition in pregnant women. Most often, nausea and urge to vomit appear in expectant mothers in the morning, especially from interaction with toothpaste.
- Aroma. Some brands add exotic ingredients with specific scents to their cleaning products. But not everyone likes new products in the industry, and each body reacts to such odors in its own way.
- Taste. Often, medicinal herbal pastes or products with a strong menthol taste can cause vomiting. This especially happens when teeth are brushed on an empty stomach, for example, in the morning.
- Stress. Our body reacts differently to stressful situations. For some, a nervous state causes abdominal cramps, headaches or heart pain, and more. In the first case, people experiencing stress lose their appetite. That person may vomit while brushing their teeth in this condition.
- Fluorine. The human body is designed in such a way as to immediately produce a reaction of rejection of harmful substances. Any tube of toothpaste contains some amount of fluoride. And the latter very often causes a similar reflex when brushing the mouth.
- Mechanical irritation. Perhaps you are brushing your teeth incorrectly, while placing the brush too deeply, which always causes a gagging reaction.
- Fatigue. Lack of sleep can also cause morning sickness. This is especially true when brushing your teeth.
- Foamy paste. Toothpastes that foam when used as intended can also cause vomiting.
- Tonsillitis. If a person has inflammation of the palatine tonsils, then when the cleaning composition gets on them, the patient’s gag reflex is triggered.
- Smoking. No matter how good the paste is, the bad breath of a smoker is perfectly noticeable.
This is facilitated by nicotine, which is deposited on hard tissues and mucous membranes. This plaque in the mouth dissolves during brushing, and this leads to a burning sensation in the mouth. A natural continuation of the process is the urge to vomit.
All these reasons are temporary, and as soon as they are eliminated, relief immediately comes.
But, if nausea begins to appear constantly, and not only when cleaning the oral cavity, you need to consult a specialist and undergo an examination prescribed by a doctor.
Improper hygiene procedures
The gag reflex can occur when using a toothbrush incorrectly or when choosing the wrong toothpaste..
It is worth noting! Often toothpastes contain fluoride, which is present, although in minimal quantities, but can be an irritant to which the body will react by vomiting during hygiene procedures.
Pastes with a strong menthol flavor , as well as those based on herbs, can also have a negative effect due to their specific taste. with a strong pungent odor can also cause vomiting .
Improper brushing of teeth, for example, with , can lead to unpleasant consequences .
This is usually the result of inserting the toothbrush too deeply.
A toothbrush that is too large, as well as vigorous brushing, can also cause vomiting, especially if the base of the tongue is hypersensitive.
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It is quite possible to establish this reason yourself, without resorting to the help of a dentist.
Sometimes it is enough to change your toothbrush and toothpaste, choosing the optimal brush size and a neutral smell and taste of the toothpaste to get rid of this problem.
Composition of toothpaste
The toothpaste contains plant extracts and fluoride, which helps clean and strengthen the enamel.
However, sometimes these components can provoke a gag reflex when brushing your teeth. Given this fact, you should choose a toothpaste with a minimum amount of fluoride, and more thorough rinsing is required. At the same time, you still need to periodically brush your teeth with a paste containing a large amount of fluoride, since it is this element that strengthens tooth enamel.
Improper brushing of teeth
The main reason for the gag reflex is that the toothbrush penetrates too deeply. To avoid it, you need to change the technology of oral hygiene procedures. Proper teeth cleaning involves mentally dividing the oral cavity into four zones and carefully working through them. In this case, the brush is at an angle of 45º relative to the teeth and gums.
The lower jaw is cleaned from bottom to top, and the upper jaw from top to bottom. The minimum time spent on the hygiene procedure is three minutes.
Problem with the gastrointestinal system
One of the most common causes of an increased gag reflex is a stomach or intestinal disease. The very first “point” of digestion is the oral cavity. Therefore, many problems of the stomach, intestines, gall bladder, and liver are reflected in the condition of the mouth and tongue.
Nausea due to gastrointestinal diseases
Additional symptoms will help you understand that the cause of the gag reflex when brushing your teeth is the state of the digestive system:
- white or yellowish coating on the tongue;
- feeling of bitterness in the mouth after eating;
- periodic stool disorder - constipation or diarrhea;
- feeling of heartburn, burning behind the sternum;
- stomach ache.
White coating on the tongue
Often the gag reflex occurs against the background of gastritis. It is necessary to distinguish between inflammation of the stomach with reduced or increased acidity. Treatment for these conditions will vary.
Table. Signs of high/low acidity.
Name of the sign Increased acidity Reduced acidity
| Epigastric pain | Against the backdrop of hunger | After meal |
| Heartburn | Often | Can not be |
| Feeling after eating | Pain decreases | Pain and discomfort appear |
| Chair | Often diarrhea | Tendency to constipation |
A fairly common pathology that can cause vomiting when brushing teeth is cholecystitis. The stagnation of bile that occurs with it causes a strong feeling of bitterness in the mouth and constant nausea. Often the sensations are especially strong in the morning, which is an additional provoking factor for the appearance of a gag reflex from the touch of a toothbrush.
Cholecystitis
Gastrointestinal problems are now highly treatable. The diagnosis is made by a gastroenterologist or therapist. With correctly prescribed therapy, the gag reflex disappears in the first week of treatment.
Important! The course of treatment for gastroenterological diseases must be combined with a diet.
Psychosomatics
Sometimes the cause of the gag reflex when brushing teeth is a disorder of the central nervous system or a psycho-emotional state, for example, in a healthy person under severe stress or anxiety, it is possible that the urge is felt when feeling the taste or aroma of toothpaste, mouthwash or other strong odors.
In some patients, after any problem that has already passed, which is among the above, fear and expectation of recurrence of vomiting may persist. In this case, an acquired reflex is formed, the correction of which will require the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist.
It is also possible to get rid of such fears on your own, but this is within the power of very strong people who can set themselves up for good health over a long period of time.
Advice. If you have a similar situation, you can cope with the problem by changing your environment, for example, brushing your teeth on the street (suitable for those who live in a private house) or in the kitchen, i.e., anywhere except the bathroom.
Stress and overwork are some of the causes of vomiting both when brushing teeth and under other circumstances.
Dental problems and diseases of the ENT organs
Vomiting during cleaning the oral cavity occurs both due to dental problems and diseases of the ENT organs, because they affect the increased sensitivity of the root zone of the tongue. Irritation of this area can lead to severe vomiting.
Dental problems include:
- caries;
- periodontitis;
- stomatitis;
- gingivitis.
Among the diseases of the ENT organs are:
- pharyngitis;
- tonsillitis;
- nasopharyngitis.
It is necessary to visit a dentist and an ENT specialist; doctors will be able to confirm or rule out health problems. You should also consult an allergist, since a common cause of an unpleasant reaction is an allergy to a component included in the paste.
Poisoning
The appearance of nausea while brushing your teeth may coincide with food poisoning or intestinal infection, the symptoms of which are:
- loose stools;
- constant nausea;
- high temperature;
- weakness, headache.
Food poisoning
In this case, the area at the root of the tongue will be overly sensitive due to intoxication of the body with microbial substances or low-quality products. If these sensations are influenced by a toothbrush or too harsh toothpaste, then another attack of vomiting may be provoked.
Hormonal changes
In pregnant women, even if there are no symptoms of toxicosis, the root of the tongue can become a very sensitive area. During pregnancy, the gag reflex occurs from the touch of a toothbrush or simply from the smell and taste of toothpaste. Severe toxicosis contributes to the severity of nausea, including vomiting, in response to brushing teeth.
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Toxicosis during pregnancy
Similar complaints often occur in women taking combined oral contraceptives. During administration, a certain hormonal background occurs. In a number of women, it can provoke increased sensitivity of the reflexogenic zone of the root of the tongue. Similar to changes during pregnancy, nausea may occur the first time you touch a toothbrush.
Combined oral contraceptives
Severe vomiting when taking hormonal contraceptives will require discontinuation of the drug. It is possible to replace it with another method of contraception:
- pure gestagenic drugs;
- barrier methods – condom, diaphragm;
- chemical – spermicides;
- intrauterine contraceptives.
Contraceptives
The occurrence of a gag reflex during brushing your teeth during pregnancy is a temporary condition. As a rule, it goes away after the first trimester. Sometimes nausea can persist for the entire period of pregnancy, but it always goes away after childbirth.
Smoking
Do you like to indulge in a cigarette? Please note: among the consequences of this dangerous hobby are not only diseases that everyone knows about but prefer not to think about (lung cancer, lip cancer). There is another side, although not so scary, but it can make adjustments to your morning self-care rituals and complicate their implementation. It is difficult to simply brush your teeth: you feel faint. Reason: when clearing plaque, smokers develop bad breath - this causes the urge to vomit.
What to do? Stop smoking. Otherwise, brushing your teeth will become increasingly difficult.
Tip #3: Choose a good toothpaste and the right brush
It is better to consult a dentist regarding the choice of hygiene products, who will select them based on your situation. For example, people who are prone to nausea during oral hygiene are advised to choose brushes with a small head and medium bristles; it is better to give preference to mechanical rather than electric or ultrasonic. The brush should also have a separate surface for cleaning the tongue; you should not clean it with regular bristles. If the brush does not have such a surface, then additionally purchase a special scraper.
Selecting the right brush and paste will help get rid of the problem.
Read an article on our website about the rating of the best toothbrushes.
As for the paste, its composition will help answer the question of why a gag reflex appears when you brush your teeth: a negative reaction of the body can be caused by an increased fluoride content or components that provide strong foaming, dyes and flavors. Fluoride, which is contained in many toothpastes, is not equally beneficial for everyone; if it is in excess, poisoning and intoxication of the body can occur, and dental fluorosis can occur. Therefore, choose only products that suit you, choose formulations that have a neutral smell, taste and color. For children, it is better to completely avoid pastes containing fluoride until they reach 7-10 years of age. Also, do not forget about the recommendations of toothpaste manufacturers - to brush your teeth, only one pea of the composition is enough, so you should not squeeze more of it out of the tube.
“Before, I constantly experienced nausea when brushing my teeth, and the problem was especially painful in the morning. I read that you can save yourself with mint decoctions, because... mint dulls the sensitivity of receptors located on the tongue. Therefore, in the evening I always drink tea with mint and it helps a lot. And in the morning I try to do everything quickly, with minimal pressure on the teeth and mucous membranes.”
Olga, Kirov, from correspondence on woman.ru
Tip #4: Be positive
The fact is that some people who have already experienced a gag reflex while brushing their teeth, and even more so have vomited, unconsciously begin to fear a repetition of the situation, i.e. their central nervous system is triggered. And fear itself triggers a reaction in the body, which, coupled with a mechanical effect on the tongue, leads to nausea. So first of all, try to calm down. Sometimes a change of environment can achieve a positive effect: for example, for a while you can try to carry out the procedure in the kitchen rather than in the bath. Preparation for the procedure also helps you get rid of fear: take three deep breaths and exhale through your nose. And during the procedure itself, try to breathe mainly through your nose.
What measures should be taken if nausea occurs when brushing?
Keep in mind! The first thing you need to do is understand the cause and get rid of it.
Below is a list of what you can and should do :
- Choose the optimal toothbrush size.
- Use pasta without pungent odors or strong flavors.
- Determine the area, touching which leads to gagging.
- Do not place the toothbrush deep in the mouth.
- Get rid of a negative attitude before cleaning.
Tip #5: Don't brush your teeth right after eating
You should especially not do this immediately after a very heavy snack and on a full stomach. After eating food, simply rinse your mouth with water or a special rinse, and only after at least half an hour can you begin to thoroughly clean your tongue, teeth and gums.
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prevention
Consulting specialist
Kashaeva Victoria Nikolaevna
Specialization: Dental hygienist Experience: 7 years
Comments
When I brush my teeth, I often experience a gag reflex. But once there was even vomiting of blood, how dangerous is this and can it indicate pathologies in the body?
Rita (02/25/2019 at 01:42 pm) Reply to comment
- Dear Rita. Vomiting while brushing teeth most often occurs as a reaction to external irritants and rarely indicates serious pathologies of the body. But in this case you need to see a doctor. For example, the problem may be caused by excessive pressure on the mucous membrane and its injury, as a result of which blood appears - in this case, you need to change the technique of cleaning your teeth and learn how to do it correctly. Also, blood in the oral cavity may be evidence of the development of diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis - in this case, the inflamed mucous membrane often bleeds from any impact, and you need consultation and treatment of a periodontist. But it may also be that the blood arose due to pathologies of the internal organs - if this is suspected, you will need to undergo an examination, an ultrasound, and tests.
Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (02/28/2019 at 10:38 am) Reply to comment
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