Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: The gag reflex (GR) is an innate healthy defence mechanism that helps prevent foreign bodies from entering the trachea. Aim and Objectives: This web based cross‐sectional survey was done to assess the awareness level and prevention of patient gag reflex among pedodontists in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: The survey was conducted on 150 pedodontists of Saudi Arabia via mail, out of which only 128 completely responded; thus, response rate was 85.33%. A list of 10 questionnaires was developed that explores the above‐mentioned objectives with subcategories. Results: Anxiety and fear was found to be the main reason for gag reflex (59%), impression procedures constituted maximum to gagging (95.4%), behavioral methods were considered as the best way to prevent gagging (65.7%), and 73.9% of patients considered gag reflex as a hindrance in clinical dental practice. Conclusions: The study clearly pointed out that the level of awareness regarding management of patient’s gag is significantly low among pedodontists in Saudi Arabia and illuminated that patient gag is a major hindrance in the clinical practice. Key words: Gag reflex, anxiety, fear, pedodontists, knowledge.