Hypnotherapy for Dental and Needle Fear

About one person in six is highly anxious about dental treatment, according to the Wikipedia article on dental fear, and at least 10 percent of American adults have some fear of needles, according to the article on needle phobia. Hypnosis may help with anxiety around a procedure, though the evidence is not conclusive. For lasting change, the dental fear article describes approaches that build coping skills over time as the longer-term option, and needle fear has one type where relaxation is not the main goal at all.

Can hypnosis help at the dentist?

Possibly, but the evidence is not settled. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says some studies show promising results for anxiety around medical or dental procedures, but the overall evidence is not conclusive.

The dental fear article draws an important line. It groups hypnosis with general anesthesia as shorter-term methods, and notes that these have proven ineffective for long-term treatment of the phobia, because many people return to avoiding the dentist afterward. It describes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and coping skills as longer-term methods, which can be delivered by trained dentists as well as psychologists.

What else is used for dental fear?

The article lists distraction, guided imagery, relaxation techniques and music, and describes “tell-show-do,” used especially with children, in which the dentist explains and demonstrates each step before doing it. Gradual desensitization, introducing procedures step by step, is also used. Sedation is an option for some people, ideally combined with these behavioral approaches.

Why are needles different?

Because there are distinct types of needle fear, and they need different handling. The needle phobia article describes:

• Vasovagal type, about half of cases and often inherited: the sight or thought of a needle causes a surge in heart rate and blood pressure followed by a sudden drop, leading to faintness, sweating, nausea or fainting. Many people with this type fear the faint more than the needle.
• Associative type, about 30 percent: fear linked to a past painful or frightening procedure, with anxiety, poor sleep beforehand and panic. The article lists cognitive therapy, hypnosis and anti-anxiety medication as treatments for this type.
• Resistive type, about 20 percent: strong resistance and avoidance, for which psychotherapy is suggested.

For the vasovagal type, the article describes desensitization and a technique called applied tension, which is meant to keep blood pressure up to prevent fainting. A reasonable inference, not a tested rule: because the problem in this type is a drop in blood pressure, deep relaxation alone is not the aim, so tell any practitioner if you tend to faint.

How can hypnosis fit into a plan?

• Rehearse the appointment in imagination: the waiting room, the chair, the first sound or the needle approaching.
• Pair it with a coping response: for dental fear, slow breathing and a signal to pause; for fainting-type needle fear, the applied tension technique your clinician teaches.
• Use it alongside CBT or tell-show-do, not instead of them, so the change lasts beyond one visit.

One appointment or years of avoidance?

If you need to get through one appointment, hypnosis is a reasonable aid. If you have been avoiding the dentist or needed injections for years, ask for CBT-based treatment, which the dental fear article describes as a longer-term approach. Tell your dentist or nurse about your fear, and about any history of fainting, before the appointment. Do not let fear stop you from getting vaccines, blood tests or dental care you need.

This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice; talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation.