The radiologic anatomy of patients who gag with dentures

The past dental literature suggests that gagging in dental patients may be due to anatomic causes. Cephalometrically oriented lateral skull radiographs of 53 patients who were gaggers and of matched controls were examined for an anatomic cause of gagging. No evidence was found that the soft palate was especially long or steeply angled in patients who were gaggers. There was no tongue enlargement or reduction of the pharyngeal airway in patients who were gaggers which might render them intolerant of bulky dentures. The postures of the palate, tongue, and hyoid bone were compared in patients with and without their dentures. Wearing dentures caused less modification in the posture of these tissues in the gaggers than in their matched controls. In the absence of either gross abnormality of the radologic anatomy of those who were gaggers, or a marked change of posture of the oral tissues when the patients wore dentures, some other reason for gagging is likely. It is possible that patients who gag may have a more extensive distribution of the vagus nerve. With such an abnormality, physical stimulation of the mucosa in other parts of the mouth would cause gagging.