I was TERRIFIED about going to the dentist after T but I had to as I had a cavity too and really I know how scary the thought of that drill is. I think for me I worked it up to be so bad in my mind that when I actually did it, it wasn't that bad. I did tell my dentist so he knew why I was acting so weird. T may have been a little worse for awhile after but on any given day it gets worse and I have no idea why.

Sue

Here is a quote from Jack Vernon, PhD.. Hope it helps......

"There is no doubt that dental drilling can exacerbate tinnitus (or hyperacusis) in some patients, and I'd much rather be cautious than sorry. For dental drilling, I always recommend 5 seconds of drilling then 10 seconds off - 5 on, 10 off - until the job is finished. The sound is directly conducted to the inner ear by bone conduction, and wearing ear protection will only serve a partial purpose. Some dentists charge extra for the "5 on/10 off" approach, but most willingly cooperate. The impact that noise has on hearing is controlled by two elements: the intensity of the sound (how loud it is) and the duration of the sound. We cannot control the intensity for the dental drill, but we can control the duration of the exposure." -- Jack Vernon, PhD

Good, helpful info, John and Sue! I've been scared about going to the dentist to get drilled, since getting T. Your good input will be helpful to me when I do go. In the meantime, I'm brushing a lot and eating Xylitol, lol!

Same here! I am also terrified of going to the dentist especially b/c my T was caused by acoustic trauma. I also brush and floss religiously to help avoid any dental problems. John's post really helps with the 5/10 approach and I hope your worrying is all for nothing. Let us know how it goes. Wish you all the best!

I've gone. Wore earplugs the first time. They didn't really make much difference. It wasn't the greatest experience, but then it was the dentist. Unless the drilling is severe, I'd say your fine. Who knows, maybe they'll hit a spot in your mouth, and the t will go away. Good luck.

Haha! Good point, Dave, about hitting a spot! : )