FREAKING OUT ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTION - ANY TIPS TO CALM NERVES?

"Did the nitrous oxide make you feel dizzy afterward or anything?"

Not really dizzy, but definitely a bit floaty for a couple minutes after. Had it once for an extraction and honestly, it helped a ton. If you're feeling nervous, might be worth giving it a shot...

I was pretty nervous about the cost at first, honestly. My insurance didn't cover nitrous oxide, so I debated skipping it altogether. But then a friend told me about their extraction without it - said they were tense the whole time, gripping the chair like crazy. Decided I didn't wanna go through that, lol.

Ended up paying out of pocket for the nitrous and don't regret it one bit. Didn't feel dizzy exactly, more like super relaxed and kinda detached from what was happening. Afterwards, I felt a bit spaced out for maybe 5-10 mins max, but nothing too weird or uncomfortable. If you're on the fence because of budget (like I was), I'd say it's worth considering just to make things easier on yourself...especially if anxiety's an issue.

"Ended up paying out of pocket for the nitrous and don't regret it one bit."

Totally get this. I had a tooth extraction last year, and anxiety was definitely a big factor for me too. Didn't go with nitrous (budget reasons), but my dentist recommended bringing headphones and playing calming music or podcasts during the procedure. Honestly, it helped way more than I expected...kept my mind distracted enough to relax a bit. But yeah, if you can swing the nitrous, sounds like it's worth it just for peace of mind.

Haha, nitrous is definitely the MVP in these situations. I remember my first extraction, thought I'd tough it out without anything extra - big mistake. Ended up gripping the chair like I was on a rollercoaster. Next time around, went for the nitrous and it was night and day. Felt like floating on a cloud while the dentist did their thing. Glad you treated yourself to some peace of mind, totally worth it.

Nitrous really can be a game changer for anxious patients. I've seen so many people go from totally stressed out to relaxed and comfortable in minutes. Glad you found something that worked for you - makes the whole experience way easier.

"Nitrous really can be a game changer for anxious patients. I've seen so many people go from totally stressed out to relaxed and comfortable in minutes."

Yeah, nitrous is great, but have you checked if your insurance covers it? Mine didn't, and the extra cost caught me off guard. If budget's tight, you might wanna ask your dentist about alternatives like oral sedation or even just headphones and music. I went the music route last time - wasn't perfect, but definitely helped distract me enough to get through it without overspending.

The insurance thing totally tripped me up too - my plan didn’t cover nitrous, and I remember being kind of annoyed at the surprise bill after my last appointment. Personally, I went with the headphones trick as well, just put on a podcast and tried to zone out. It wasn’t magic, but it was better than nothing.

I’ve heard some people swear by guided breathing or meditation apps during the appointment. Has anyone tried that? I’m always a bit skeptical about whether it actually works when you’re in the chair and everything feels so intense, but maybe I’m just not patient enough to stick with it. Curious if anyone’s found those techniques helpful or if it’s just wishful thinking.

I’ve actually tried one of those meditation apps during a cleaning, and honestly, it helped a little. Not a miracle, but focusing on the breathing exercises distracted me from the worst of it. I’m not super patient either, but it was worth a shot - plus, it’s free, so nothing to lose except maybe a bit of pride if you start breathing weirdly.

I’ve definitely done the weird breathing thing in the dentist’s chair - honestly, I think I sounded like Darth Vader at one point. But hey, whatever works, right? I used to get super tense before extractions, and tried everything from counting ceiling tiles to making up stories in my head about the dental tools (that little suction thing? I named it “Sucky McGee”).

Meditation apps do help a bit, but for me it’s more about distracting myself however possible. I’ll even pinch my own hand or tap my foot just to shift focus. The last time, I actually asked if they could play music and ended up listening to ‘80s hits while they yanked a tooth - honestly, nothing like “Eye of the Tiger” to make you feel like you can survive anything.

Bottom line: embrace whatever gets you through, even if it’s goofy. The staff have seen it all. And yeah, maybe you’ll look a little silly, but you’ll walk out with one less problem tooth and that’s a win in my book.

Bottom line: embrace whatever gets you through, even if it’s goofy. The staff have seen it all.

Totally agree with this. My kid had to get a baby tooth pulled last year and we did a whole “spy mission” routine - she wore sunglasses and pretended the chair was her spaceship. Step one: let them bring a comfort item (stuffed animal, fidget toy, whatever). Step two: talk through every step before you go in. Step three: ask for music or headphones if they allow it. It really helped her nerves, and honestly, I think it distracted me too. Sometimes the silly stuff works best.

We did something similar when my son had to get two teeth pulled - he was 7 and super anxious. I actually doubted the “bring a comfort item” thing would help, but he insisted on his battered old stuffed fox. Turns out, it made a huge difference. He squeezed it the whole time, and the dentist didn’t even blink. I also found that prepping him with a silly story about “tooth pirates” coming for treasure helped more than any logical explanation I could give.

I know some people say not to over-explain, but for us, talking through every step ahead of time made it less scary. He wanted all the details, even the weird ones (like how his mouth would feel numb). Music is a great tip too - he picked his favorite cartoon soundtrack and hummed along, which honestly cracked up the nurse.

Bottom line, don’t worry about looking goofy or over-the-top. Whatever works for your kid is the right move, even if it’s not what the parenting books suggest. The staff really have seen it all, and your kid’s comfort matters more than anything else in that moment.

Can definitely relate to the whole “comfort item” thing. When I was getting my wisdom teeth out, I brought this old hoodie I’d basically lived in since high school. Sounds silly, but having something familiar made the waiting room a lot less intimidating. The staff didn’t seem to care either - they’ve probably seen way weirder stuff.

I’m with you on giving all the details, even if some folks say it’ll freak people out more. Personally, knowing exactly what would happen (like how my mouth would feel numb for hours and drool might be involved) helped me mentally prepare. I actually asked my dentist to walk me through each step as it happened - maybe that’s overkill for some, but for me it took away a lot of the mystery.

Music’s a good tip too. I made a playlist just for the appointment and zoned out as much as possible. Didn’t really care if I looked ridiculous humming along...it worked.

At the end of the day, whatever helps you or your kid feel less anxious is worth doing, even if it’s not what the “experts” recommend.

When my kid had to get a tooth pulled, I was way more nervous than he was. I actually let him bring his favorite stuffed animal, even though he’s “too old” for it, and honestly, it made a difference. I get what you mean about wanting all the details - personally, I think sugarcoating it just makes the anxiety worse. Some people say you shouldn’t tell kids too much, but I’d rather he knows what to expect than be blindsided. Music helped us too, but I wish dentists would just accept that everyone needs their own weird coping thing, y’know?

Letting my daughter pick her own comfort thing (she brought a squishy keychain) really helped too. I totally agree - knowing the steps ahead of time made her less scared, even if it sounded a little gross. Did your kid ask a lot of questions before the appointment, or just kinda roll with it?

My kid honestly just wanted to get it over with - didn’t ask much, just kind of shrugged and went along. I get why people want to prep their kids with all the details, but sometimes too much info can make them more anxious (at least in our case). We kept it simple and let him bring his favorite old hoodie for comfort. Also, I was glad we didn’t have to buy anything extra or fancy - sometimes those little things add up.

Love the hoodie idea - sometimes it’s the little comforts that make the biggest difference. I totally agree about not overloading them with info. My daughter got more nervous when I tried explaining every detail... less was definitely more for us too.

I tried the “less is more” approach with my son and honestly, it seemed to work better than my usual info-dump strategy. The first time he had a filling, I went into full-on PowerPoint mode about drills and numbing gel... he looked like he was prepping for a NASA launch, not a dentist visit. Next time, I just said, “It’ll be quick, you’ll get a cool sticker,” and let him bring his favorite stuffed animal. Way less drama.

I do think little comforts like hoodies or even headphones (if allowed) make a huge difference. There’s something about having familiar stuff that keeps the anxiety down. Not gonna lie, I wish adults could get away with bringing their own comfort objects too - imagine showing up to your own extraction with a weighted blanket and noise-cancelling headphones. Maybe we should normalize that...

Anyway, I wouldn’t stress about giving all the details unless they ask. Sometimes the anticipation is worse than the thing itself.

Weighted blanket at the dentist - honestly, that sounds amazing. I totally agree about the comfort objects. When I had to get two teeth pulled for braces, I brought my hoodie and my AirPods, and just zoned out to a podcast. They let me keep one earbud in (as long as I could still hear them) and it made a huge difference.

Do you think it’s better to know exactly what’s happening, or would you rather just be distracted? I always want to know the basics, but too much detail just makes me overthink everything. My mom used to give me the play-by-play and it just made my anxiety worse.

Did your son actually use the headphones, or was the stuffed animal enough? I’ve wondered if bringing something to fidget with would help, but I never tried it. For adults, maybe we should just start normalizing comfort stuff - why not? If it helps keep the nerves down, who cares.

For adults, maybe we should just start normalizing comfort stuff - why not? If it helps keep the nerves down, who cares.

Totally agree here. I wish more places were cool with adults bringing comfort items. I actually brought a stress ball to my last appointment, and the hygienist said people do that more than you'd think. For me, I want the basics explained but not step-by-step - too much detail and I spiral. Has anyone tried guided meditation apps during procedures? Wonder if that's worth a shot or just awkward in the chair.

For me, I want the basics explained but not step-by-step - too much detail and I spiral.

That’s really interesting - some folks want every detail, others get overwhelmed. I’ve seen patients bring headphones and play meditation tracks or just music during extractions, and honestly, it seems to help a lot of them tune out the background stuff. A few said guided meditations felt a bit odd with all the poking around, but music worked better. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried fidget toys like those little pop-its? I see stress balls a lot, but not much else.