Commited to learning to dive...but.....

[Aaronbor]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and SCUBA. What a great source of information this is.

I wanted to learn to dive for a long time, but every time I go snorkeling and I put an snorkel in my mouth for a while, I start feeling like gagging. (same problem at the dentist with X-rays).

I finally decided to do a discovery dive while in vacation. During the pool session I was able to control my gag reflex but after I while it became a distraction and I felt like I had to push the regulator mouthpiece out of my mouth. Ended up having to ask the instructor to go up. At the end I did not feel ready to do an actual ocean dive.

I read some of the posting in these forums regarding gag reflex. Some recommend using Aqua lung Comfo-Bite mouthpiece. I order it to try at home (in dry land) to simulate breathing thru it while pinching my nose, and it did not help at all. I felt the gagging sensation.
Other post suggest SeaCure mouthpiece. I am going to order it to see if that one may work. (I hope it will)

Another possible solution would be a full face mask.(FFM). I would be willing to purchase one to learn and get my certification.

1)Is there any way to overcome the gag reflex problem? (like putting a mouthpiece in the mouth and breathing thru the mouth to get used to it)

2)If I can’t get used to having rubber in my mouth, will I be able to learn SCUBA with a full face mask? Will instructors accept a FFM for new open water certification? ( I would be willing to get whatever additional training may be required due to the FFM differences).

I am really committed to get my open water certification, so I would appreciate some help and any input.
Thanks.

Aaron

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have the same problem. It took me a long time to get comfortable using a snorkel. I still gag at the Dentist office. Try a smaller silicone mouthpiece. That's the only thing that works for me.

 

[Marie13]

I have a very strong gag reflex, as well. Visits to the dentist are awful. The rented regs during my pool Discover Scuba had too big of a mouthpiece and it was awful.

The AquaLung/Apeks Comfobite mouthpiece does the trick for me. Still sometimes gag, but nowhere near as bad without it. I simply will not use another mouthpiece.

It’s different having it in your mouth when in the water. It’s weird. Go to a pool and try swimming with Comfobite snorkel in your mouth. See if that makes a difference. You do get used to it.

 

[ScubaMetal]

This was my issue too. Marie13 is right, though, it feels a lot more natural once you're in the water. I remember during my OW class, when we had to dunk our faces in the water and just breath through the reg, it felt weird because I wasn't fully submerged and I kept gagging. Once I was all the way in the water, breathing through the mouthpiece felt completely fine (and I have yet to get any good X-rays taken at the dentist--I'm literally well-known at my dentist's office for spitting out the tab). I will say, I still don't like breathing through a snorkel while surface swimming; I'd rather just swim on my back.

Two things have helped me. The first is a smaller mouthpiece with small bite tabs. I actually made my own by buying a standard mouthpiece and trimming off some of the bite tabs so that there's less to bite on and I can still use the sides of the mouthpiece along my gums to help keep it in place. The other is the "winged' type of mouthpiece. For some reason, I don't gag at all when using that style. Some Cressi snorkels have that mouthpiece type, and they're basically the same as what you would get for a reg. Maybe give those a try, too.

Just know you're not alone in this, and there's definitely hope. Best of luck!

 

[TerryC]

As others have said, it is important to have the right mouthpiece fit. Have you tried the "moldable ones" these you can shape like a boxers mouthguard.
Unfortunately a FFM is not really your answer. It will obviously overcome the gag reflex but (and you are obviously not aware of this) one of the important safety drills when wearing FFM is the ability to "bale out" on to a spare standard mask and regulator if the FFM fails for any reason.
Yes, I would teach you OW in a FFM but you would also need to spend time training on regular gear for safety.
The thing is in bale out situation you would be already stressed due to the unforeseen failure, going on to a spare mask and standard reg with the gagging issue has a high probability of disaster.
I do hope you manage to overcome your problem and achieve your ambition to dive.

 

[northernone]

I'll echo the replies above. Small mouthpiece and get use to it on land. Sitting around watching tv even. No pressure and all the time you need to get comfortable.

I've trained students in a full face mask. It's perfectly possible and you wouldn't need a mouthpiece for the majority of the dive. But some skills involve using a second regulator which has a regular mouthpiece. So for training you'll need to be able to stand a mouthpiece at least a few minutes.

Cameron

 

[Marie13]

That Seacure mouthpiece has really long sides. Yuck. Gag city. Tried one once. I was gagging before I even closed my mouth.

 

[Aaronbor]

Thanks for all the replies. I will have to search for the right mouthpiece to help solve my issue.
Marie13, The AquaLung Confo-bite has an upper palate piece. Did you remove that or it does not bother you?

ScubaMetal, do you have a more specific recommendation on a brand and model of "winged" mouth pieces?

 

[Marie13]

Thanks for all the replies. I will have to search for the right mouthpiece to help solve my issue.
Marie13, The AquaLung Confo-bite has an upper palate piece. Did you remove that or it does not bother you?

I leave it on! That piece means you don’t need a ton of pressure/bite down a lot to hold reg in your mouth - what I sarcastically refer to as “gumming it.”

 

[Aaronbor]

Thanks to the instructors for explaining why it is still important to be able to use a mouth regulator with a full face mask. It looks like it's important to learn with the standard mask and reg before moving on to the FFM.