These may include anxiety about the procedure, the dentist touching physical trigger points, the taste of the dentist’s gloves, and the sound of dental tools. This combination of psychogenic and somatogenic stimuli can explain why some people may gag only under certain circumstances.įor example, a person may not gag when engaging in their own oral hygiene but might gag when a dentist performs it due to multiple triggers being present at the dentist’s office. A person may, therefore, also gag due to certain sights, sounds, and smells. Physical and mental stimuli can be separate events or happen at the same time. Somatogenic and psychogenic stimuli combined Therefore, a person may gag when experiencing an unpleasant thought. Generally, a psychogenic stimulus is a response to disgust. PsychogenicĪ psychogenic stimulus is a mental trigger that causes a person to gag. Some people may gag from a very gentle touch on a trigger point, while others may be able to tolerate a more intense sensation before gagging. In this instance, the gag reflex is an attempt to prevent a person from choking or swallowing something potentially dangerous.Īlthough trigger points in the mouth may vary, a gag reflex will typically occur when something stimulates the base of the tongue, the uvula, or the tonsil area.

The activation of a trigger point causes nerve signals to pass to the brain, which then signals the pharynx to contract. In relation to oral trigger points, this may be a large piece of food or a foreign object. SomatogenicĪ somatogenic stimulus is one that physically makes direct contact with a trigger point. Two types of stimuli can trigger a gag reflex: somatogenic and psychogenic.

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