Why Do Bad Smells Sometimes Trigger the Gag Reflex?
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Gagging is performed to prevent unwanted/dangerous substances from entering the body.
Bad smells can trigger the gag reflex because they may be associated with the presence of a harmful substance. The brain may interpret the smell as a sign that something dangerous is nearby, and the gag reflex is activated as a protective mechanism.
In some cases, the gag reflex may be triggered by a strong or unpleasant smell even if the substance itself is not harmful. For example, when I clean the dishes I tend to gag profusely because I am very sensitive to other peoples food. My brain is convinced that the peanut butter on someone else’s plate is contaminated/gross because it’s wet and soggy. Although it only smells like regular peanut butter, my brain interprets it as “dangerous” or unpleasant.
What you think is taste is actually mostly smell. Your tongue has a lot less to do with what you think of as ‘taste’ than you’d think.
So when you smell something awful your body is making sure you’re not swallowing something possibly foul.
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