 British dental researchers found success in controlling patients' gag reflex using ear acupuncture, allowing treatment of patients whose reflex reaction has kept them from visiting the dentist, according to study results published in the June 9 issue of the British Dental Journal.
For the study, ten people agreed to try ear acupuncture to control gagging during a dental treatment. Four of the patients had severe gag reflexes that made treatment impossible while the other six had reflex reactions severe enough to make treatment possible only under sedation.
Acupuncture needles were inserted into a specific "anti-gagging" point on each ear, adjusted briefly, and left in place during the dental procedure. Procedures ranged from tooth extraction to tongue biopsy.
With the help of ear acupuncture, all of the patients got through their dental procedures successfully, the researchers report. The acupuncture completely controlled the gag reflex in eight of the cases and partially controlled the reflex in the other two cases. The acupuncture procedure added just 2-3 minutes to the patients' chair time.
How the acupuncture quells the gag reflex is unclear, according to the researchers. They said the needle stimulation may block certain nerve pathways. One of the main nerves involved in swallowing also supplies the part of the ear where the anti-gagging acupuncture point is located.
They also note that further research is needed to determine whether acupuncture's benefit could stem in part from the so-called "placebo effect," where the power of suggestion helps the patient psychologically overcome a problem. |
