Breathing slowly and deeply through your nose is a simple way to prevent gagging. This method works well for most people. You might also ask your dentist to apply a small amount of topical anesthetic near the back of your mouth. Hurricaine topical anesthetic produced by Beutlich Pharmaceuticals seems to work well in this regard. These rather drastic measures may be employed when patients have a very sensitive gag reflex.
General anesthesia is also a plausible approach in extreme cases.
You may want to share this article and the references with your dentist. Klepac et al. Learn about reducing pain for newborn babies. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child's, please consult your family's health care provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals.