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Main amelioration of gagging indoctrination by communication - a MAGIC technique

British Dental Journal volume 236, pages 611–614 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Gagging during dental work is a common concern for both dentists and patients and can prevent patients from seeking or completing essential and routine dental work, often leading to further problems in the future. This paper aims to describe and review the literature on an accessible alternative to other management options to treat a patient with an exaggerated gag reflex. The author compares the effectiveness of current available treatments from published, peer-reviewed sources. The effectiveness of the MAGIC (main amelioration of gagging indoctrination by communication) technique has not yet been clinically reviewed but the experiential success by the author is near 100%. Patients were explained the technique and talked through it during treatment, leading to almost all patients who have not been able to undergo any dental treatment coping with and completing treatment. As this technique has not been assessed under clinical research conditions, we only have experiential evidence of many patients continuing and completing dental treatment following use of the MAGIC technique. This has been used with patients who both have and have not self-reported that they have a hypersensitive gag reflex. This paper reviews a novel technique for the amelioration of a hypersensitive gag reflex that can easily be incorporated in the general dental practice to the benefit of both patient and dental professional.

Key points

  • This paper outlines a new technique for the treatment of dental patients with a hypersensitive gag reflex. The MAGIC technique is free, requires no additional clinical training or equipment, and can be practised by patients at home.

  • It provides the basis of a technique that can be easily replicated and studied in a clinical setting.

  • The MAGIC technique benefits both patient and treating clinician when undergoing dental work; however, that is not the limit of its application and it may have uses in other settings, for example, patients who struggle to take oral medicine, endoscopies etc.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Ms Aimee Driscoll, administrator at TRUSTDental, for her assistance in compiling the paper and the background research.

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  1. TRUSTDental, 50 High Street, Street, Somerset, BA16 0EQ, UK

    James Main

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  1. James Main
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Correspondence to James Main.

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Main, J. Main amelioration of gagging indoctrination by communication - a MAGIC technique. Br Dent J 236, 611–614 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7285-z

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