|Articles|July 6, 2009

No Tongue Blade-No Gag Reflex!

If patients cannot overcome the gag reflex when I try to depress their tongue with a tongue blade, I simply have them stand in front of a mirror and ask them to show me the back of their throat while I hold the light. I have found that most patients are able to do what it takes to see their own throat. This strategy is especially useful with children.

- Brett S. Bilbrey, MD
Knoxville, Tenn

Would you find this Pointer helpful in your practice?
Please e-mail your comment to us.

More Pointers . . .

Enhance your clinical practice with the Patient Care newsletter, offering the latest evidence-based guidelines, diagnostic insights, and treatment strategies for primary care physicians.

No Tongue Blade-No Gag Reflex!

Related Content

FDA Reviews Clesrovimab for Second-Season RSV Prevention in High-Risk Children

With Colonoscopy Capacity Limited, We Need More Momentum Behind Noninvasive Home-Based Tests, Says Mark Fendrick, MD

FDA Approves Oveporexton, First Orexin Receptor Agonist for Narcolepsy Type 1

Integrating Social Determinants of Health Into Primary Care: A Team Based Population Health Approach

FDA Approves mRNA-1010 (mFLUSIVA) as First mRNA Flu Vaccine for Adults 50 and Older

Latest CME

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2– Metastatic Breast Cancer | Kansas Society of Clinical Oncology

(CME Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Montana/Wyoming

(CME Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – North Carolina

Expert Guidance on Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Use of ADCs in TNBC

Establishing the Rationale for ADC and ICI Combinations in TNBC

Burst CME: Managing Fluid Overload in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (Part 2)

Dissecting Clinical Trial and Real-World Data for ADCs in TNBC

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2– Metastatic Breast Cancer | Missouri Oncology Society

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2– Metastatic Breast Cancer | Louisiana Oncology Society

Community Oncology Connections™: Advancing Precision Testing and HER2-Targeted Care for Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma – Arizona

Breaking Down the Latest Clinical Data for First-line Maintenance and R/R SCLC

(CME Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Nevada

Broadening the Frontline—Studies Informing the Use of Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Patient, Provider, and Caregiver Connection: Turning a New Leaf in Acute Pain Management – How Recent Advancements Impact the Treatment Paradigm

(CME Track) Rapid Reviews in Retina™: Emerging Updates from Summer 2025—Addressing the Wealth of New Data in Treatments for Neovascular Retinal Disease

Collaborating Across the Continuum™: The Pediatrician’s Vital Role in Multidisciplinary Management of Pediatric PAH

(CME Track) A Forward Look at Anti-VEGF Therapies: A Paradigm Shift in Neovascular Retinal Disease Management

(CME Track) Community Collaborative Connections™: Optimizing the Collaborative Care of Neovascular Retinal Disease in a New Age of Treatment

(CME Track) Collaborating Across the Continuum™: Best Practices in Patient-Centric Team Management of XLRP

Practical Considerations and Future Directions for New Treatment Strategies in SCLC

Patient, Provider, and Caregiver Connection™: Addressing Patient Challenges With Holistic Approaches to Vitiligo Management

Expert Roundtable and Panel Discussions: Current and Future Landscape of TNBC

(CME Track) SoCal Psych 2025: Overcoming Barriers to Long-Acting Injectable Agents in Schizophrenia

Live Expert Illustrations & Commentary™: Visualizing Novel Therapeutic Targets for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

25th Annual International Congress on the Future of Breast Cancer® East

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer | Wisconsin Association of Hematology and Oncology

10th Annual Live Medical Crossfire®: Hematologic Malignancies

Cases & Conversations: Real-World Insights on the Diagnosis and Management of Cold Agglutinin Disease

Medical Crossfire®: Maximizing Durability Across Retinal Disease — What 3 Years of Evidence Means for Your Practice

Navigating Treatment Gaps in SCLC: Relapse, Resistance, and Need for New Options

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer | Arkansas Association of Cancer Professionals

Community Oncology Connections™: Monotherapies vs Combinations – Navigating Oral SERDs and Targeted Combination Strategies in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer | Rhode Island Oncology Society

Community Practice Connections™: Distinguishing Precision Pathways for c-Met and MET Alterations in NSCLC

𝘔𝘌𝘛 Alterations in NSCLC: Applying Diagnostic Advances and Targeted Therapies in a New Era of Treatment

Pathways to Progress: RAS in GI Cancers (Spotlight CE Session)

27th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress®

Progress in Hyperlipidemia Management to Reduce ASCVD Risk: An Illustrated Update

Community Practice Connections™: Enhancing Melanoma Outcomes With Intratumoral Oncolytic Immunotherapy–Strategies for the Multidisciplinary Team

Tackling Barriers to Vaccine Uptake: Practical Strategies for Adult Immunization

Community Practice Connections™: Beyond the Basics— Revolutionizing Advanced Prostate Cancer Management With PSMA-Targeted Therapies

Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Diving Deeper Into Disease Pathogenesis, Severity Assessment, and Holistic Management Approaches

Cases and Conversations™: Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Patients With HF—Augmenting Current Guidelines with Emerging Evidence

Advances in Managing EGFR-Mutant NSCLC: Applying Evidence Across the Disease Continuum

Satellite Symposia at the Annual Radiation Oncology Meeting

The Optometry Meeting in Anaheim

Jersey City Psychiatry

2026 International Symposium of Gastrointestinal Oncology (ISGIO)

26th Annual International Lung Cancer Congress

Navigating Advances in Neovascular Retinal Disease: Translating Evidence to Practice in AMD, DME, and RVO

Enhancing Prostate Cancer Outcomes – The Role of PSMA and Targeted Treatment Strategies

(CME Track) Beyond the Collarette: Empowering Patients in the Management of Demodex Blepharitis

(CPE Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Arkansas

IgAN Case Files: Real Conversations, Evolving Evidence

Identifying and Treating Generalized Myasthenia Gravis in the Modern Era

Addressing Unmet Needs for Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy—Understanding Patient Challenges and Management Approaches

Rewiring Recovery: Evidence-Based Approaches to Managing Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Visualizing the Role of Dystrophin Dysregulation as a Therapeutic Target in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and MD STARnet

Navigating Ocular Toxicities: A Multidisciplinary Roadmap for Managing Adverse Events in Targeted Cancer Therapy

(CME Track) Antibody–Drug Conjugates in Oncology: The Essentials of AE Management for Better Patient Outcomes

(CPE Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Montana/Wyoming

(CPE Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – North Carolina

(CPE Track) Community Oncology Connections™: Leveraging Recent Advances in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma – Washington

Clinical Consultations™: Tailoring Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Across Life Stages and Evolving Health Needs

A Shield of Protection: Unmet Needs in COVID-19 Prevention and Control

SimulatEd™: Partnering for Precision – A Framework for Personalized Care Planning in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Putting the Patient First in Acute Pain Management: The PA’s Guide to Incorporating Cutting-Edge Science Into Their Treatment Strategies

Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Visualizing the Role of B Cells as Therapeutic Targets for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis

9th Annual School of Nursing Oncology™

Community Practice Connections™: Optimizing SCLC Treatment Strategies and Managing Adverse Events Across Disease Stages

Personalized Approaches in NSCLC: Early Detection, Molecular Testing, and Targeted Therapies

Rapid Reviews in Retina™: Emerging Updates from Fall 2025—Addressing the Wealth of New Data in Treatments for Neovascular Retinal Disease

(CME Track) Seeing the Signs: Multidisciplinary Strategies to Manage Ocular Toxicities Associated With Cancer Therapies