How to Avoid Gagging While Brushing Your Tongue

Your tongue is a happy breeding ground for bacteria. Studies have shown that bacteria growing on the protein-rich surface of the tongue end up in the rest of your mouth, potentially causing or contributing to heart disease, pneumonia, premature birth, male infertility and more. ^[1] Here's how to clean it without gagging.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Try this psychological trick. Clench the fingers of one of your hands, gently digging your nails into your palm. Your gag reflex should be gone––apparently this works because your brain is distracted by the slight pain in your hand.
   
   
   
2. 2
   Hold your toothbrush perpendicular to your tongue, brushing from the side. Putting your toothbrush in the long way will make it easier to 'slip' into the overly sensitive danger zone. It's also more psychologically invasive - namely, it makes you think consciously of gagging.
   
   
   
3. 3
   Push the tongue down hard into the lower part of the mouth behind the teeth as you brush it. As soon as the tongue starts to wobble, stop, give it a few moments to retrieve your strength and try again.
4. 4
   Exhale through your mouth while brushing your tongue. At the same time, relax your tongue and throat muscles as much as possible. Keep practicing until it becomes a normal habit.
5. 5
   Avoid using the toothbrush for your tongue altogether. There are good tongue scrapers which can be bought from the pharmacy. Tongue scrapers or cleaners may feel less invasive and more focused on a quick clean than your larger, wider-surfaced toothbrush. You can also try "flossing" your tongue: Take a normal length of dental floss and drag it down across your tongue. This works well for individuals with a particularly high gag reflex.

EditTips

• Keep in mind where you're brushing; it's not necessary to delve deep into the back of your throat, where you might nick your uvula and trigger a gag reflex.
• Avoid watching yourself in the mirror; it is best when you don't think about it!

EditWarnings

• People with high gag reflexes may vomit while brushing their tongue. If you vomit excessively, quit and go for the tongue scrapers instead.

EditThings You'll Need

• Clean toothbrush
• Tongue cleaner/scraper (optional)
• Floss (optional)