Letters to the editor

I understand Mrs Pickles' point of view, to an extent. The purpose of the article itself was mainly focused on an overview of the different approaches that dental professionals can consider to manage gagging, without going into the minute details of each stage. Anyone who administers conscious sedation will, of course, have had (or will have to undergo) additional training, with a complete understanding of the equipment which is required for such procedures to be undertaken.

The picture itself was not intended to teach conscious sedation per se; I was instead trying to stress its use and limitations for gag reflex management by drawing the reader's attention to this technique. Again, I can appreciate Mrs Pickles point of view, particularly as she has a special interest in this area, so it was probably much more apparent to her. It was good of her to bring this to my attention and it is something I shall be mindful of for future articles.