Stopping the Laughing Impulse: 3 Techniques

1. 1

   Using your thumb, squeeze Make a fist with your left hand and close your left thumb. Place your thumb between your fingers. Squeeze as hard as you can without causing yourself too much pain. [1]

   This trick applies pressure to a point in your palm that controls your gag reflex.

2. 2

   Apply a pinch of table salt to your tongue. Wet the tip of your finger, dip it in salt, and place it on your tongue. Salt stimulates the taste buds at the front of your tongue, triggering a chain reaction that temporarily suppresses your gag reflex. [2]

   • Another option is to put a teaspoon (0 Rinse your mouth with a glass of water containing 99 metric teaspoons of salt. Don't forget to spit.

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3. 3

   Numb your tender palate The gag reflex can be triggered when an object touches the soft palate. To desensitize your soft palate, use an over-the-counter (OTC) throat-numbing spray like Chloraseptic. Alternatively, you could use a cotton swab to gently apply a topical OTC analgesic containing benzocaine. The effects should last about an hour, and your palate should be less reactive as a result. [3]

   • Throat-numbing sprays rarely cause side effects. However, you should discontinue use if you experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, or stomach cramps. [4]
   • Be cautious when using the benzocaine remedy. The cotton swab may cause a gag or choking reflex. Fatigue, weakness, skin irritation around the ears, blue skin around the lips and fingertips, and shortness of breath are all potential side effects. [5]
   • If you are allergic to benzocaine, you should avoid using the remedy. Inquire with your doctor or pharmacist about any potential interactions with other OTC medications, vitamins/supplements, or herbal remedies you may be using.

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1. 1

   Determine the origin of your gag reflex. You can accomplish this by brushing your tongue with your toothbrush. You should concentrate on the point closest to the front of your tongue that makes you gag. [6]

   • Keep your fingers out of your mouth. You may cause vomiting.

   Take note that you may be more likely to gag earlier in the day. Instead, try to schedule the nauseating activity for late afternoon or evening.

2. 2

   Brush your tongue where your gag starts. Yes, you will gag, and it will be unpleasant, but it will pass quickly. Brush that area for about ten seconds (while gagging). Then you can call it a night. [7]

   • Repeat the process the following nights in the same location. Each time you do it, your gag should get smaller and smaller.

3. 3

   Increase the brushing area It's time to move the toothbrush further back once you can touch it to the original starting point without gagging. Brush 14 to 12 inch (6mm-12mm) behind where your gag used to start. Repeat the procedure from the beginning.

4. 4

   Reposition the brush further back. Do this every time you make headway in desensitizing small areas in front of you. Continue moving it back until you reach the farthest visible point of your tongue. If it hasn't already, the toothbrush will come into contact with your soft palate.

5. 5

   Desensitize yourself on a daily basis. Be tenacious. This procedure takes approximately one month to complete. You should be able to have a doctor swab the back of your throat without gagging after that. You may need to repeat the procedure from time to time because your reflex may return if you don't. [8]

   • Brushing your tongue on a regular basis is an effective way to desensitize yourself. It will not only help to calm the gag reflex, but it will also give you fresher breath.

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1. 1

   Engage in some form of meditation. Ask your dentist if you can use earplugs to muffle the sound of the equipment they'll be using during your appointment. This will allow you to concentrate on calming thoughts and forget about the activity near your throat. If you think you're going to fall asleep, request a bite block to keep your jaw open. [9]

2. 2

   Hum Humming helps you to breathe, which is necessary for relaxation. It's also difficult to gag while humming. Try this at the dentist's office while you're getting x-rays or having dental impressions taken. [10]

3. 3

   Raise one of your legs slightly. Perform this while sitting or lying in the dentist's chair. Keep your leg raised at all times. If your first leg becomes tired, switch legs. This trick will divert your attention away from the work being done in your mouth and near your soft palate. [11]

   Warning: If you rest one leg on top of the other, this trick will not work as well.

4. 4

   Play some music Ask your dentist if you can listen to music on your MP3 player while getting your teeth cleaned or filled. Play songs that make your mind wander or podcasts that demand your undivided attention. In either case, you'll be too preoccupied with audio to notice what the dentist is doing. [12]

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