Dentistry and hypnosis have a long shared history. Dentists were among the first professionals to take hypnosis seriously, and many of Dave Elman’s students in the 1950s were dentists. The reason is simple: a great many people are frightened of the dentist, and a frightened patient is harder to treat.
The use of hypnosis in dentistry even has its own name, hypnodontics.
What it is used for
- Dental anxiety and phobia
- Needle fear
- A strong gag reflex
- Pain and discomfort during treatment
- Teeth grinding and jaw clenching
- Getting used to dentures or braces
- Helping children cope
- Controlling saliva and bleeding (reported, though less studied)
Dental fear
Dental anxiety is very common, and a smaller group avoid the dentist altogether, often until an emergency forces them in.
The evidence for hypnosis here is encouraging but uneven. A 2022 systematic review of 19 trials found that hypnosis often reduced dental anxiety, but that results were inconsistent and that cognitive behavioural therapy had stronger support. Separate reviews have found moderate-quality evidence that hypnosis reduces anxiety during oral surgery.
In practice, hypnosis is used in three ways:
- Before the appointment, to reduce dread and rehearse the visit going well.
- In the chair, with the dentist or a recording guiding relaxation and attention elsewhere.
- Over several sessions, to treat the underlying fear through gradual imagined exposure.
The gag reflex
Some people gag so strongly that X-rays, impressions or work on back teeth become nearly impossible. It is embarrassing, and it is not under conscious control.
Hypnosis is widely used for this, and published case reports describe severe gagging being brought under control in a few sessions, allowing treatment such as root canal work to go ahead. The evidence consists mainly of case reports and small series, not large trials, but dentists who use hypnosis regard this as one of its most reliable applications.
Techniques include relaxation, slow nasal breathing, distraction, suggestions of a calm and comfortable throat, and gradual desensitisation.
Teeth grinding
Grinding and clenching, known as bruxism, are linked to stress and often happen during sleep. The evidence for hypnosis is limited. In one small trial comparing hypnosis with a rigid mouth splint, the splint gave better relief from muscle pain. Hypnosis is best seen as a support for stress and jaw tension, used alongside a splint and your dentist’s advice, not as a replacement.
Pain
Hypnosis can reduce the discomfort of dental work and, in highly responsive people, produce real numbness. For most people it is used together with local anaesthetic, where it makes the injection and the procedure easier. A few people who cannot have local anaesthetic have had dental work done under hypnosis alone, but that needs a dentist trained in the technique.
What it looks like in the chair
Dental hypnosis is usually quick and informal.
- A calm, unhurried explanation
- Slow breathing and a brief relaxation
- A “favourite place” to go to in your mind
- Suggestions of comfort, heaviness and time passing quickly
- A stop signal, such as raising a hand, so you remain in control
Many dentists use hypnotic language without calling it hypnosis: “You may notice a little pressure” instead of “This will hurt.”
Help yourself before your next appointment
- Tell the practice you are nervous when you book. Good dentists want to know.
- Agree a stop signal.
- Practise a calm-place exercise daily for a week beforehand.
- Rehearse the visit in your imagination, going smoothly from waiting room to finish.
- Breathe slowly through your nose in the chair.
- Listen to a relaxation recording through headphones, if the dentist agrees.
- Book a morning appointment so you do not spend the day dreading it.
Finding a dentist who uses hypnosis
Some dentists have formal hypnosis training, often through professional hypnosis societies for health practitioners. Ask your practice, or look for dentists who advertise care for nervous patients. For severe phobia, your dentist can also refer you for CBT or to a sedation service.
The bottom line
Hypnosis is a useful and long-established part of caring for nervous dental patients. It is most convincing for anxiety and gagging, and works best as part of a dentist’s wider approach to making treatment comfortable.
Next in the series: Hypnosis for Exam Stress: Stay Calm and Remember What You Know
This article is for general information and is not medical or dental advice.