If you have dental anxiety, you likely put off dental appointments. You do not even want to get a routine cleaning because it stresses you out so much. Fortunately, you can go to the dentist without all the anxiety by listening to music and audiobooks. Find out why music and audiobooks can help you calm down.
Benefits of listening to music and audiobooks
People can download music and audiobooks on smart devices. Then patients simply need to bring some earphones to listen while in the dental chair. This distraction dramatically reduces dental anxiety. In fact, many people are surprised when they discover the appointment is over.
Calming effects of music
People with dental anxiety have a hard time feeling calm during dental procedures. Music has a calming effect. The music does more than just distract people. The right music can lower blood pressure and slow down the heart rate. It even decreases stress hormones in the body.
Classical music is known to relax people in various situations. Other types of music can calm people down as well, though. Patients are encouraged to experiment with different types of music before an appointment. After finding the right calming music, patients can build a playlist to use at the dentist.
Relaxing with audiobooks
Audiobooks relax people in a different way. Many people feel nostalgic when listening to books. It takes people back to childhood when parents read to children out loud. That nostalgic feeling is also very calming. People often feel cared for and loved when listening to audiobooks, and that reduces dental anxiety.
Audiobooks are also an amazing distraction. When people are tuned in to a story, it is easy to ignore everything going on around them. Listeners do not want to miss anything, and hanging on every word means patients are less apt to notice dental procedures. Many close their eyes and listen to the story while the dentist gets to work.
Just like music, audiobooks can be downloaded on smart devices. Patients should choose audiobooks that are entertaining and interesting. Also, it is a good idea to begin listening to the book before the appointment. Patients who do that are already invested in the story, so they are less likely to pay attention to the dentist.
Listening to books and music in the office
Patients can reduce dental anxiety even more by using noise-canceling headphones when listening to books and music at the dentist office. These headphones block out the sounds of the office. Many patients get nervous when a drill fires up or a tooth is scraped. Blocking out those noises makes patients even more comfortable.
Do you need help with dental anxiety?
Do not let dental anxiety keep you away from the dentist. Download your favorite music or audiobook and make an appointment. Bring some noise-canceling headphones along with you to block out the noise. Then you will feel calm while getting dental work done.
Request an appointment here: or call Scottsdale Family Smiles at (480) 607-6937 for an appointment in our Scottsdale office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
