White noise is a good idea, but I honestly just use whatever’s free. I’ve tried both music and breathing stuff with my kids—Spotify playlists, YouTube nature sounds, even those “calm app” things if they have a free trial. I get picky about spending extra for gadgets or paid apps, especially if it’s something we might only use a couple times a year.
I’ve noticed sometimes the staff look at you funny if you bring in your own headphones, but I don’t really care. If it helps my kid, I’m all for it. I do agree about being upfront with the staff though. I used to just hope they’d figure it out, but that backfired once when they kept talking to my son thinking it would distract him, but he just wanted quiet. Now I just tell them straight up—he likes minimal talking and needs a break if he starts fidgeting.
Have you ever tried those breathing exercises apps? I keep hearing about them, but I’m not sure if they’re worth downloading if we’re only at the dentist twice a year. Or maybe there’s a free version that’s actually useful? Just curious if anyone’s found a freebie that works for kids... seems like everything is subscription-based these days.
Also, has anyone ever had luck with just simple earplugs instead of headphones? Wondering if that’s even cheaper and less hassle, or if it makes kids more anxious not hearing anything.