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Swallowing with mouth open

L

legbye45

Junior member
Joined
Feb 29, 2020
Messages
2
Location
Stockport, UK
I am wondering if there is a training method to learn how to swallow snot/water/saliva with mouth wide open. It would be good if such swallowing were not only safe but felt safe also. Regarding water from the drill, I note advice to choose an assistant/nurse who is agile with the sucker. However, the opportunity to make such a choice does not arise where I live as far as I know.
 
You can't really swallow with your mouth open, it's not designed that way :)
If it's that big an issue you need to complain to the nurse or ask if they could give you a saliva ejector (it's a low powered suction thing) to use too.
 
I wonder if it is a special talent, like wiggling your ears or knuckle cracking :confused:? I can sort of do it (swallowing with my mouth open, that is - errr I'm going to get myself into trouble here if I'm not careful :redface:)
 
I wonder if it is a special talent, like wiggling your ears or knuckle cracking :confused:? I can sort of do it (swallowing with my mouth open, that is - errr I'm going to get myself into trouble here if I'm not careful :redface:)
Thanks for mentioning this - I can do that too. By the way I know at the ISDAM conference Mike Gow asked us all to open our mouths (was that awkward) and try it out - it looked like the most participants were ok with that..
 
I've managed to swallow with my mouth open to get rid of the water when I got my teeth cleaned. I remember being told before my first cleaning that I can swallow the water in case it got too much. Huh :unsure:
 
Would be a great topic for the „cast your votes“ section:grin:
 
By the way I know at the ISDAM conference Mike Gow asked us all to open our mouths (was that awkward) and try it out - it looked like the most participants were ok with that..

Bet you their mouths' were only vaguely open rather than WIDE open though - the wider you open, the harder it gets (I've just been experimenting with a glass of water here - quite unpleasant, really :))... feel free to start a poll :)
 
This is interesting because when I had my apicoectomy, the endodontist kept telling me to swallow when I could and then kept reminding me to swallow (while my mouth was open), and I remember being a little miffed because it was so hard. I was on nitrous so I thought it was hard because of that.
 
Bet you their mouths' were only vaguely open rather than WIDE open though - the wider you open, the harder it gets (I've just been experimenting with a glass of water here - quite unpleasant, really :))... feel free to start a poll :)

Here it goes: Can you swallow with your mouth open? :thumbsup!:
Well, it's not pleasant I would say, but it seems to be possible (and makes one look very weird :grin:)
 
I am a speech therapist and actually treat swallowing disorders so this is an interesting topic to me! It is possible because I’ll do it when I absolutely have to but it definitely feels a lot harder. Closing your mouth is what generates pressure to allow you to propel down whatever it is you are trying to swallow so with your mouth open there’s just no drive to push down whatever is there and you are purely relying on muscular effort (and gravity). The reclined position of the chair can also make a difference as the body is meant to swallow while seated upright...it goes against body mechanics to try to swallow while laying down.
 
Thank you @kitkat ... This makes so much sense how you say it! I too have swallowed in the dental chair with my mouth open , feeling the need strongly a few times, however wasn't easy had to concentrate and felt quite accomplished having done so :)
 
It seems that dentists are unaware of this problem. One strategy I try is to arrive early to sit in the waiting room so that my nose is no longer running due to the cold weather. But last time I was stymied - they were ready for me early. Regarding the poll, the question should say "wide open" not just "open". And should it not specify that one has to be flat on one's back with no pillow?
 
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