New Device Could Take the Fear out of a Visit to the Dentist

The dentist’s drill has been known to make the most stout hearted of us quail in apprehension, often making us eschew much needed dental treatment in the bargain. Now however a new device to drown out the whine of a dentist’s drill could help people negate some of the anxiety associated with a visit to the dentist.

It is something that can be plugged into a cell phone or an MP3 device and which filters out the whining and whirring sound of the dentist’s drill; while still allowing the patient to listen to music as well as what the dentist says.

This could help reduce much of the anxiety associated with a visit to the dentist, since it has been seen that it is the sound of the drill (as well as the suction and other dental equipment) more than anything else that causes anxiety in patient.

A team from Kings College, Brunel University and the London South Bank university are hopeful that this device will help people overcome their anxiety and get necessary dental work done.

The creator of the device is Professor Brian Millar who got the idea for the device from car manufacturers who developed the system to cut out road noise while driving, but at the same time allowed people to hear emergency sirens.