Laughing gas saved my sanity during my root canal

Headphones are my go-to too, though sometimes I worry I’ll miss the hygienist asking me something important. Ever had that happen? Or do you just zone out and hope for the best?

I totally get nervous about that too. When my daughter had her filling, I kept pausing her music every few minutes just in case someone needed to talk to her. It’s honestly stressful trying to balance helping her relax and making sure she hears instructions. Do you ever just leave one earbud out? That’s what we tried last time, but then she complained it sounded weird.

Leaving one earbud out just makes me feel lopsided, honestly. I’ve tried it, but then I get distracted by the weird imbalance instead of relaxing. Last time, I just picked a really chill playlist and trusted the hygienist to tap me if she needed something. Hasn’t failed me yet... though I might’ve missed a joke or two.

Leaving one earbud out just makes me feel lopsided, honestly. I’ve tried it, but then I get distracted by the weird imbalance instead of relaxing.

That lopsided feeling hits me too - it's like my brain can't settle down unless both ears are covered. Have you ever tried bone conduction headphones? They don’t block your ears at all, so you can hear music and still catch what the hygienist says. Might be a good workaround if earbuds just aren’t cutting it. Curious if anyone else has found a good balance between zoning out and staying aware during dental stuff...

- That weird one-ear thing totally messes with my head too. It’s like my brain is waiting for the other shoe to drop - except it’s just an earbud.
- Tried bone conduction once while jogging, but I kept getting distracted by my own footsteps… not sure it’d help me chill in the dentist chair, but at least you don’t miss your name being called.
- Honestly, I just stick with both earbuds and crank up the volume a bit. Not the safest, but better than hearing the drill.
- Laughing gas + noise-cancelling headphones is my personal recipe for surviving dental work. Might not be the healthiest combo, but hey, it gets me through.

We just went through this with my kid last month, and honestly, I was nervous about the whole headphone thing. Here’s what helped: first, we made sure the dentist was okay with headphones (some aren’t), then we picked music that was familiar and calming. I kept the volume low enough so she could still hear if someone talked to her. Laughing gas was offered, but I was a bit hesitant, so we skipped it - maybe I’m just overcautious. The step-by-step really helped her feel in control. Not perfect, but better than pure panic.