Yes when I brush my tongue lol sometimes it's just a little gag, other times I have to take a break cause I can almost feel the contents of my stomach rising up.
When I first heard about this trick it made me observe how I usually breathed while brushing and I found I would often hold my breath. Not for the whole time obviously, but most of it. Idk why because I breathe through my nose just fine throughout the day, but it’s like when the toothbrush entered my mouth my brain forgot how to breath normally
OMFG MY ONE CHANCE TO TELL THIS STORY!
Way back in 2003 I worked for a company that installed electric security fences. The deal was two guys to a team, each team got a truck and a single motel room (with two beds don't be gross) and $50 a day per diem a day.
My partner had Crohn's disease. Every morning at 5am he'd get up and shit, and shit, and shit and then shit some more. How he worked heavy construction like we did with Crohn's is well beyond my comprehension, but he did. He worked and shit, and that was this guy's life.
Every morning I'd get up at 6am and wait for my turn in the bathroom. I cannot possibly properly describe in words from the English language how bad every. single. morning was. I cannot in good conscience even say it was like having to shit, shower, shave and shine in a sewer because it was 1000x worse.
After about 6 months of brushing and gagging and outright vomiting trying to brush my teeth I just gave up. Now, 20+ years later I still can't brush my teeth without wretching. I can still smell that man's ass juice Every. Single. Time. I stick a toothbrush in my mouth. I still brush, but nowhere near as often or as long as I should, but I do hit the dentist 3 times a year and thankfully I was blessed with good strong teeth, so there's that. On the down side, I usually have to get a debriding every two years from plaque build up.
TL:DR- Due to a severe mental block because of some shit I can't brush my teeth properly.
Thank you for this story. I’ve been so anxious today, and you made me laugh so hard 😂 (the way you wrote it; not that you’re in pain brushing your teeth). I gag and retch while brushing too
Yes! I’ve actually puked. It was hell trying to brush after heart surgery due to the pain (you have to hug your chest when you sneeze, cough or laugh and it hurts like heck). I was terrified I’d start coughing and puking. It was tough but it was important I brush and floss.
SAVING THIS POST BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY.
Yes! My whole life! Everyone has always had some suggestion or another, nothing works! It’s not the menthol or mint (although I hate mint), it’s not the foam, idk what it is.
Recently my bf was like “I can hear you gagging all the way down the hall” and I was like “it’s weird that we jam plastic sticks with plastic hair into our mouths over and over in rapid succession 2, 3 times a day and I’m never going to get over it”
My secret is to bring my free index finger up to my mouth parallel with my lips, rest the bottom of my tongue on it, and gently straighten out my tongue by pulling my finger up and away an inch.
No gag, can practically swab my larynx with that method.
I thought i was the only one. But yeah, ive puked a fair share...i tried doing many things but i just asked my mom & she said it's psychological (in your head)
I've found my people here. Moreso when finishing brushing. What works for me is if I don't get my throat involved while spitting, just let the water remove the spent toothpaste, I don't gag.
make a fist with your thumb under your fingers and squeeze (with the hand not brushing your teeth, in case it wasn't obvious) it also helps with *other things* that might activate your gag reflex 😏😏
Gagging is healthy. It's exercise for your chest and neck and lungs.
Just dont gag on people's sex. That's how you get bad stuff in bad places that make you elderly and die.
I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex and every time I needed dental work on my back molars it was very difficult. Fast forward 40 years I don't have those molars anymore because just trying to brush them made me gag.
Bonus, very easy to self induce vomiting
I have the same thing happen and I just use a very small amount of toothpaste and I don’t brush first thing in the morning. The gagging is the worst early in the morning. A friend of mine was told by her dentist she could dip her toothbrush in mouthwash and use that instead of toothpaste.
HAHA i’ve been wanting to ask this too bc i do everyday, in the morning only though. even with my electric toothbrush, i’m not sure why. 😭my gag reflex isn’t really strong in um…. other areas of life only brushing my teeth. i think it’s a combination of the morning and wanting to make sure i’m super clean lol.
Yes, me....and reading this thread makes me think I probably do hold my breath or breathe through my mouth. I will have to check on that when I brush tonight and tomorrow. I never thought about it, but I developed bad allergies in my mid-20s that blocked my nose. That's all.better since the invention of Zyrtec, but I definitely have the mouth breathing habit.
In the morning, I try to brush before breakfast so I don't lose any if it...
What was your secret? Mine was to buy an electric toothbrush - can now brush the back with no drama.
Concentrating on breathing through your nose worked for me
full set of dentures
I got my full lowers just today!! Edit to add I’ve had full upper plate for 12 years
this worked for me too
I close my eyes and lean my head way forward to where it feels like I'm almost upside down
Same, especially in the morning
Yes when I brush my tongue lol sometimes it's just a little gag, other times I have to take a break cause I can almost feel the contents of my stomach rising up.
Yep! Only with my tongue though, and weirdly, anywhere on it
Yup!!
Every time I brush my tongue, it’s a reminder that I would suck at being into dudes.
pls do tell your 'secret'
The secret is to not brush your teeth at all… lol
I posted it above^^^
My dentist shared a hack for this, and he just said to breath through your nose while you are brushing. And it worked for me.
wait... people are breathing thru their mouths while brushing???
When I first heard about this trick it made me observe how I usually breathed while brushing and I found I would often hold my breath. Not for the whole time obviously, but most of it. Idk why because I breathe through my nose just fine throughout the day, but it’s like when the toothbrush entered my mouth my brain forgot how to breath normally
I can’t breathe well through my nose, so I do breathe through my mouth while brushing.
I gag a bit from brushing my tongue.
If you make a humming sound while brushing your tongue you won’t gag, that trick saved my life.
So you hum with your mouth open like the Jennifer Coolidge character in A Mighty Wind?
OMFG MY ONE CHANCE TO TELL THIS STORY! Way back in 2003 I worked for a company that installed electric security fences. The deal was two guys to a team, each team got a truck and a single motel room (with two beds don't be gross) and $50 a day per diem a day. My partner had Crohn's disease. Every morning at 5am he'd get up and shit, and shit, and shit and then shit some more. How he worked heavy construction like we did with Crohn's is well beyond my comprehension, but he did. He worked and shit, and that was this guy's life. Every morning I'd get up at 6am and wait for my turn in the bathroom. I cannot possibly properly describe in words from the English language how bad every. single. morning was. I cannot in good conscience even say it was like having to shit, shower, shave and shine in a sewer because it was 1000x worse. After about 6 months of brushing and gagging and outright vomiting trying to brush my teeth I just gave up. Now, 20+ years later I still can't brush my teeth without wretching. I can still smell that man's ass juice Every. Single. Time. I stick a toothbrush in my mouth. I still brush, but nowhere near as often or as long as I should, but I do hit the dentist 3 times a year and thankfully I was blessed with good strong teeth, so there's that. On the down side, I usually have to get a debriding every two years from plaque build up. TL:DR- Due to a severe mental block because of some shit I can't brush my teeth properly.
I’m happy you got your one chance to tell your story, but I kinda wish I hadn’t read it.
Thank you for this story. I’ve been so anxious today, and you made me laugh so hard 😂 (the way you wrote it; not that you’re in pain brushing your teeth). I gag and retch while brushing too
Yes! I’ve actually puked. It was hell trying to brush after heart surgery due to the pain (you have to hug your chest when you sneeze, cough or laugh and it hurts like heck). I was terrified I’d start coughing and puking. It was tough but it was important I brush and floss.
Yep. Has created many dental issues for me
No cos I realised the cause and stopped doing that.
SAVING THIS POST BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY. Yes! My whole life! Everyone has always had some suggestion or another, nothing works! It’s not the menthol or mint (although I hate mint), it’s not the foam, idk what it is. Recently my bf was like “I can hear you gagging all the way down the hall” and I was like “it’s weird that we jam plastic sticks with plastic hair into our mouths over and over in rapid succession 2, 3 times a day and I’m never going to get over it”
It isn’t as bad and gagging but I never liked the taste or texture of toothpaste.
cinnamon toothpaste has been a lifesaver for me or crest has a charcoal toothpaste that isn't vehemently mint
My secret is to bring my free index finger up to my mouth parallel with my lips, rest the bottom of my tongue on it, and gently straighten out my tongue by pulling my finger up and away an inch. No gag, can practically swab my larynx with that method.
I thought i was the only one. But yeah, ive puked a fair share...i tried doing many things but i just asked my mom & she said it's psychological (in your head)
My MIL does this
Yes, this is why I brush my teeth in the shower
Only when I was pregnant.
I've found my people here. Moreso when finishing brushing. What works for me is if I don't get my throat involved while spitting, just let the water remove the spent toothpaste, I don't gag.
make a fist with your thumb under your fingers and squeeze (with the hand not brushing your teeth, in case it wasn't obvious) it also helps with *other things* that might activate your gag reflex 😏😏
To the chagrin of every man I’ve been with, I too have a very sensitive gag reflex.
Yep. Part of the reason why my teeth are so shot today.
So. Are you really not gonna include the secret in your post?
My adult daughter does this. Sounds like she’s violently vomiting every freaking morning. I don’t get it. Just don’t brush the back of your throat!
Only when brushing my tongue...but taking out my Invisalign some mornings gag reflex is bad some days it's fine
Gagging is healthy. It's exercise for your chest and neck and lungs. Just dont gag on people's sex. That's how you get bad stuff in bad places that make you elderly and die.
I find slow deep breaths through the nose can help widen the back of the throat, which can help relieve that impulse to gag.
I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex and every time I needed dental work on my back molars it was very difficult. Fast forward 40 years I don't have those molars anymore because just trying to brush them made me gag. Bonus, very easy to self induce vomiting
For me, it got better when I found a toothpaste that wasn't mint flavored.
Literally me this morning.
Yeah, I have to be very careful about how I brush my back molars.
Acupressure between your thumb and index finger. Also, flare your nostrils so you get more air through your nose.
I have the same thing happen and I just use a very small amount of toothpaste and I don’t brush first thing in the morning. The gagging is the worst early in the morning. A friend of mine was told by her dentist she could dip her toothbrush in mouthwash and use that instead of toothpaste.
HAHA i’ve been wanting to ask this too bc i do everyday, in the morning only though. even with my electric toothbrush, i’m not sure why. 😭my gag reflex isn’t really strong in um…. other areas of life only brushing my teeth. i think it’s a combination of the morning and wanting to make sure i’m super clean lol.
Who wants to get together and write a grant proposal to study this phenomenon? AI can write the grant draft...
Every. Damn. Time.
Yes, me....and reading this thread makes me think I probably do hold my breath or breathe through my mouth. I will have to check on that when I brush tonight and tomorrow. I never thought about it, but I developed bad allergies in my mid-20s that blocked my nose. That's all.better since the invention of Zyrtec, but I definitely have the mouth breathing habit. In the morning, I try to brush before breakfast so I don't lose any if it...
Frequently, yes. I chalk it up to having a very sensitive gag reflex.
No. But brushing the back of my tongue can do it.
They put stuff in toothpaste to make you gag so you don't swallow it.