Eyes open or shut?

[globby]

I used to be able to keep my eyes open, but now i cant fathom the thought of it.. to me, it's similar to getting a shot.... when you dont know when the needle is coming, you dont notice the pain. My doctor used to have me and my twin brother look at some shadow puppet on the wall across the room while he counted to three... EVERY TIME, he'd count to 3 when doing the shots.... usually take the shot at 1, then when he got to 3, we'd start crying in "pain" not realizing that the shot had been over for 2 seconds!

With dental stuff, it's similar, the last dentist to look at my teeth did a little prodding but i didnt feel a thing because i didnt know it was coming!

 

[Clem]

Closed tightly, all the time, every time.

 

[RP]

Sealed shut focused on slow very deep breaths through my nose (the nitrous is going)

RP

 

[Phxcrybaby]

Eyes closed! An occasional tear usually leaking out.

 

[JaneyG]

Eyes closed whilst they're actually inside my mouth, but say if they then go to get some random tool I'll open them, but as soon as I think they're doing something in there again I close them.

 

[chickenjen]

Even though my instinct is to close my eyes, I keep them open. I know what's coming anyway because it has been explained to me before they start working. I definitely feel more in control when my eyes are open.

 

[Clem]

I'll keep my eyes SHUT thanks. And so what if it keeps me in the sedation loop? What's wrong with that? Why does everyone have to be in happyland at the dentist? Can't we just get through it, get it over with, and get out until the next check-up? I've got enough other stuff on my plate to worry about other than my attitude toward all the stuff that happens to you at the dentist.

 

[veranga]

I keep my eyes open... my dentist has a TV so I can watch ESPN

 

[k1ndz0n3]

Eyes glued shut, and hopefully unconscious ! I do not want to see, or know anything, about what is happening. I want to feel nothing, see nothing, and remember nothing. I had way too many horrific experiences in the "chair", as a child, and teen growing up, with dentist, and orthodontist both. If I can't get sent off to 'nowhereland', I can't hardly sit still in the chair, for anything at all.
<KZ>

 

[drummerswife]

I completely identify with you there KINDZ! I too have had some pretty horrific things happen to me and when I first started with my dentist I had to be heavily sedated for anything and everything. Now after a year in her gentle care, enough trust has developed that I can handle most things except extractions and root canals without sedation But I still keep my eyes shut. She tells me when she is ready to start and I close my eyes, plug myself into my CD player with the volume turned up loud, and let Josh Griban distract me until she is done. We use the same process for injections. She knows that I can handle the LA as long as I do not see it, So the assistant swabs me with the numbing jell and then DR. Katy tells me to close my eyes.

 

[alleyp]

Open open open, no nasty surprises! i also have developed mentally writing my post after as my coping mechanism during the appointment, so the more I see, the more I can tell you lot about it!

 

[loubyyy]

Closed!!!
Seeing the injections / drill etc makes me more scared!!

 

[Audio.Amour]

I dont know because I havent been awake for a treatment in while.
My next awake appointment is for an extraction next monday, and I'm thinking my eyes are going to be closed.

I dont like looking at the dentist or his tools or looking at the dentist looking at me. BLEHHHH. HebbieJeebies.

I plan to listen to my ipod and keep my eye's shut tight.

 

[My3cents]

Closed. I don't like that bright light.

 

[karen445]

I keep them closed with my ipod music up loud so it distracts me. But sometimes I open my eyes just to see if they are almost done yet. Next week is my last appointment for fillings and then the next one is my extraction which IM SO SCARED. I might panic

 

[Franca]

Well, I prefer

 

[Dave48]

I tend to shut my eyes during treatment or look at the Television on the wall.


Dave.

 

[biffo1963]

Open. I have a fascination for medical things, and also ( like many of you ) I don't like surprises. Not sure my dentist actually likes being watched too closely, so I vary it occasionally by gazing into the nurse's eyes - which might go down better if I was 28 instead of 58. Serves her right for never speaking except to call me into the surgery !

John

 

[HeatherDL]

I'm terrified of the equipment they use so I have to close my eyes the entire time.

 

[Triple_S]

I prefer to keep mine open, but I kinda tend to close them a bit during appointment. If I'm having a filling, my eyes tend to close but that's because I'm usual tired. I just prefer to look at the ceiling or something in my line of view.

Triple_S
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