I used to be convinced it’d be like medieval torture, but my last one was so chill I almost dozed off.
That’s wild because I’m still stressing about mine next week. I keep picturing the worst, even though everyone says it’s not that bad. The sounds are what freak me out too. Might have to try the headphones trick, but I’m worried I’ll still be super tense the whole time. Just hoping I don’t embarrass myself by panicking in the chair...
I totally get what you mean about the sounds—that’s honestly what got to me more than anything else. I ended up focusing on my breathing and counting ceiling tiles, which weirdly helped. Even if you feel tense, that’s normal. Most dentists are used to nervous patients and know how to help you through it. You might surprise yourself once it’s over—mine was way less dramatic than my brain made it out to be.
I ended up focusing on my breathing and counting ceiling tiles, which weirdly helped.
Ceiling tile counting—now that’s a classic move. I’ve definitely done the same, though at my last appointment I got distracted by a weird stain on one of them and started making up stories about how it got there. It’s wild how your brain tries to escape when the drill noises kick in. Honestly, the sounds are half the battle for me too. I always think it’s going to feel worse than it does.
I get tense every single time, even though I’ve had more root canals than I care to admit. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, but nope—still get those pre-appointment jitters. But you’re right, most dentists are pretty chill about nervous patients. Mine cracks jokes and lets me pick the music, which actually helps more than you’d expect.
Funny thing is, the pain before was way worse than anything during the actual root canal. Afterward, it was like instant relief—kind of made me wonder why I put it off for so long. Anyone else find themselves overthinking every little thing at the dentist?
I get tense every single time, even though I’ve had more root canals than I care to admit.
Reading this honestly makes me feel less weird about how nervous I was for my first root canal. I spent days researching every possible thing that could go wrong, which probably didn’t help... but in the end, it was way less dramatic than my brain made it out to be. The worst part for me was the anticipation—once I was in the chair, counting the seconds and focusing on random patterns in the ceiling tiles actually helped a ton. I still overthink every little sound, though. Not sure if that’ll ever change, but at least now I know it’s survivable.
Totally get where you’re coming from with the anticipation being the worst part. I’ve had patients who tell me they lose sleep before a root canal, but once they’re actually in the chair, it’s almost always less dramatic than they expected. Personally, I remember my first one (years before I ever worked in the field) and was convinced I’d feel everything or that something would go wrong. Ended up being more bored than anything—just lying there, trying to tune out the sounds and not drool on myself.
The noises are weirdly unnerving, though. Even now, when I’m on the receiving end, I still can’t totally ignore them. There’s something about that high-pitched whine that just makes your skin crawl, no matter how much you know what’s happening. Focusing on ceiling tiles or counting breaths is a solid strategy. Some people even bring headphones and listen to music or podcasts to drown it out—makes a big difference for a lot of folks.
It’s funny how our brains build up these scenarios. Most root canals are pretty straightforward with modern numbing. The pain that brings people in is usually way worse than anything during the actual procedure. I do think some anxiety sticks around no matter how many times you go through it. Maybe that’s just human nature—nobody loves sitting through dental work.
One thing I wish more people realized: you can always let your dentist know if you’re nervous or need a break. Sometimes just having that bit of control helps take the edge off. And honestly, most of us expect people to be anxious—it’s not weird at all.
Glad to hear yours went better than expected. The relief after is real, isn’t it?
