evaluation of the effect of benzydamine hydrochloride on the intensity of gag reflex: a randomized single-blind clinical trial

Statement of the problem: gag reflex is among the most common problems during dental and endoscopic procedures. benzydamine hydrochloride is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medica-tion and a local anesthetic that might be useful in reducing the gag reflex. purpose: this study aimed to evaluate the effects of benzydamine hydrochloride mouthwash on the intensity of the gag reflex.materials and method: in this randomized clinical trial study, 30 participants aged 21-26 with a gag trigger point index (gtpi) higher than 2 were divided into 2 groups. in the case group, 15 ml of 0.15% benzydamine hydrochloride mouthwash was gargled for 1 minute, and after 10 minutes gtpi test was conducted. in the control group, 4 puffs of 10% lidocaine spray were applied to the mucosa of the targeted area, and after 5 minutes, gtpi was measured. participants were asked about the taste and smell of the medications. results: gtpi was significantly reduced in both groups. in the lidocaine group, the gtpi score changed from 4.47 to 2.00 (p<0.001), and that for the benzydamine group was 4.20 to 1.47 (p<0.001). the variance rate of the gag reflex was -2.73 and -2.47 in the benzydamine group and lidocaine group, respectively. however, this reduction was not statistically significant between the two groups. also, benzydamine mouthwash has a significantly better taste and smell than lido-caine (p= 0.001).conclusion: the results of this study showed that benzydamine mouthwash could be used quite effectively in reducing the gag reflex.