Hypnosis is the quieting of the conscious mind. It is characterized by a trance state. Trance is a state of mind in which our normal awareness of the outside world is reduced and our attention is focused on some activity, physical stimulus, image fantasy, thought or feeling. People enter this state every day when lost in thought or day dreaming, working out at the gym, reading or listening to music. When someone is hypnotized, they are given a set of instructions which assist them in achieving the trance state. And it is now being used in general dental care.

Some applications of hypnosis in preventive dental care include controlling a strong gag reflex, treating chronic facial pain and modifying habits like teeth grinding.

The use of hypnosis in dentistry falls into two categories: therapeutic and operative. The therapeutic use of hypnosis includes relaxing the patient, removing their anxieties, fears and pain, helping him remain comfortable throughout a dental procedure and developing positive habits of personal oral health care. Hypnosis can be used to help eliminate nail biting, thumb sucking, abnormal swallowing patterns and smoking. Operative uses include relaxation and the control of salivation and bleeding, the prevention of gagging and nausea, reduction of post operative swelling, discomfort and shock and promotion of post operative healing and recovery.

Hypnosis can help reduce the tension, nervousness and fear of pain that certain people have about the dentist and thus allow for proper general dental care. Once the patient has been hypnotized, he is asked to imagine his favourite place, a place that makes him always feel relaxed and happy. This might be a place such as a garden, a beach or a river. They are to imagine how their five senses would respond to this place. » Read more: Hypnosis In General Dental Care