How do you get through a long dentist appointment?

[IKnowAPlace]

Two fillings and an extraction, so I'll be in that chair for a while!

I have a relaxation technique in my head but otherwise, I'll just be sat there. I'm a pretty nervous patient but I know I need the work done and will feel better afterwards.

Google is saying to bring ear buds and listen to something or play word games in my head.

What have you done??

I know it's weird but I have twice fallen asleep! Woke myself up snoring (embarrassing!) The dentist said she took it as a compliment that she'd made me feel so relaxed. Truth is I could fall asleep on a clothesline 😂

All dentists I know have the radio on so I'd just listen to that. Plus I personallt love time to daydream.

My dentist doesn't have a radio or television. I'm incredibly nervous at every appointment. I simply can't understand how anyone can fall asleep.

I had to have root canal over several weeks. I took earphones and played a hour long podcast. I love parenting hell so it kept me entertained and distracted

A previous dentist of mine used to have an overhead picture of the town on the ceiling, you get really distracted trying to find your own house and places you know.

I’m in Australia and most of my dentists have had a tv on the ceiling. Even for routine checks ups it’s on and I just watch the tv. It has subtitles and I’m quite sure they would change the channel if I asked but I haven’t had a long appointment since teens, so I just watch whatever it on. I know some places also have smart tv so you can cast from your phone to watch whatever you like. I assume tvs are not the norm based on people’s responses here.

Not always. I had one recently. Tooth pain on holiday - appointment with dentist in resort who ascertained the problem, medicated my tooth and packed (maybe 20 mins), follow up appointment in resort (about 5-10 mins), brief appointment with my own dentist on return followed by appointment for the filling which was around one hour but the time working on my tooth was around 50 minutes, during which time I had a few breaks (sit up and breathe, swallow).

That sounds rough @Tinyhappypeople . Good luck 🤞

I'm also in Australia and the dental practice I go to has a TV on the ceiling of every room and craploads of N2O for me. They give you headphones so they can listen to their music and you can still hear the TV and them asking you to open wide,

Unfortunately the N2O makes me laugh immoderately at particularly funny shows. When my gob is being got at with sharp stuff.

This is not helpful. Ask for maximum drugs.

An audio Book is my recommendation and noise cancelling airpods.

If the dentist needs me, it is one shoulder tap and if I need here then I hold my had up.

I am the most terrified of the dentist and am considering asking for a mild sedative. The joint pain/stress alone is a almost unbearable!

I did it! Just out of the appointment.

It ended up being three fillings and an extraction. Absolutely no pain (until I had to pay, of course)

I just focused on box breathing and the smooth radio playing in the background.

Thanks so much for all the tips!

I’m glad it went well!

Thanks for posting too. It’s made me feel so much better about having to have some work done at the end of the month.

Mine doesn’t either and he isn’t chatty at all so I usually end up waffling at the start and then feel stupid 😂

Well done.

Well done! Glad there was no pain, gives me hope for my appointment this afternoon 🥴

Comedy podcasts, because laughter seems to counteract fear.

I like No Such Thing as a Fish or Lateral.

Well done for getting through it!

I did have the sedation once. I don't feel like it made that much difference. I still listened to a podcast but I don't feel like the time went any faster - I just couldn't remember any of the podcast afterwards, which was weird.

I do have a really lovely dentist who appreciates I get nervous and will explain what to expect which helps a lot, and she also promises that I can stop her at any time for a break, break the work into multiple appointments etc. She also explains the pros and cons of each option and lets me decide what to do although she will usually recommend a course of action, and 99% of the time I go with her recommendation.

It's more the concession that she offers the control to me if that makes sense? I find it really difficult to be told "You must have this treatment" but 1000 times easier to be told "Well, we can do this treatment, it will be uncomfortable but then once it's healed it will be OK, or we can wait but if we wait you will probably find the tooth becomes a lot more painful and difficult to deal with."

Square breathing technique - imagine breathing in through your left nostril the breath moving to your right then imagine the breath out of your right nostril and then take your thought back to your left nostril where you start the process again.

Eyes closed and I like to move my eyes with the breath - I've just done an hour in the dentist chair using this, call me weird but I enjoyed it!

I'm late to the party as always but one to try

Mines taken 4 hours and still not finished. This particular tooth is leaning over sideways and rotated like a corkscrew. Most take 1 to 1.5 hours, some take longer.