Georgia Dentist for Patients with Gag Reflex Problems
Dr. Kurtzman is the “go to” Georgia dentist for patients with gag reflex problems. The gag reflex is a normal reflex that involves retching or “gagging” when something touches the soft palate in the back of the mouth. However, some patients have sensitive gag reflex making it difficult to receive dental treatment.
Sensitive gag reflex may be caused by physiological factors or may be caused by psychological factors such as fear or past traumatic experiences. Many patients gag when they feel a loss of control.
Mild to moderate gag reflex keeps many patients from seeking regular and needed dental treatment. Even routine procedures such as x-rays and dental cleaning can be a problem for these patients. Avoidance of the dentist can lead to serious dental problems such as gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss. Treating serious dental problems is even more challenging for patients with more severe gag reflex.
Expert Dental Care for Patients with Gagging Problems
Dr. Kurtzman provides superior Atlanta dental care for patients with gagging problems. Most patients with mild gag reflex can be treated in a dental office utilizing a throat numbing spray and local anesthesia. For patients with moderate gag reflex, oral sedation can reduce or eliminate the problem and allow treatment in the dental office. For these patients, Dr. Kurtzman administers oral medications to put them in a drowsy, sleep-like state. The oral sedatives relax the patient and reduce their gag reflex so that dental treatment can be completed. A local anesthetic may also be used at the site of the procedure to eliminate pain.
Through the use of oral sedation, Dr. Kurtzman can provide needed dental treatment to patients with mild to moderate gag reflex right in his office. For patients with severe cases of gag reflex, it is often necessary and best to treat them in a hospital operating room using general anesthesia administered and monitored by a trained anesthesiologist.
Dr. Kurtzman and his staff respect and understand the painful experience of gagging. We personally make sure that each patient is completely at ease before, during and after any dental procedure. David Kurtzman, DDS strives to create a great experience for patients with mild to moderate gag reflex that will forever change the way they feel about visiting the dentist. This positive experience will hopefully prevent them from avoiding dental care in the future.
If you are in need of dental treatment but suffer from mild to moderate gag reflex or have a patient in your practice that suffers from this problem, please contact our Georgia Dentist for Patients with Gag Reflex Problems at David Kurtzman, DDS today to schedule a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.
