title: Sexual correlates of gagging and dental anxiety.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both oro-related behavioural and sexual dysfunctions are non-life-threatening conditions which can have an impact on individual well-being. Possible common features include intra-body penetration, giving control to another person, and experiencing encounters that can sometimes be subjectively experienced as aggressive and/or abusive. The present study examined possible sexual correlates of dental anxiety and gagging.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 448 individuals, who applied for sex therapy at the Sexual Medicine Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel, completed the following sexual and dental functioning questionnaires: International Index of Erectile Function (men only), Female Sexual Function Index and difficulties with sexual penetration (women only), dental anxiety, gagging reflex and dentist preference (entire population).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher gagging reflex was associated with problems in sexual penetration and history of sexual abuse in women (especially one that included vaginal penetration). It was also associated with dental anxiety and higher preference for dentist of the same gender for both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that gagging reflex can bear sexual connotations, especially in women.
authors.affiliation: The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. niruzi@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uziel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bronner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elran
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety; D005260:Female; D005683:Gagging; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*