People in need of emergency dentistry may soon no longer have to put up with the noise of the dentist's drill.
Scientists at Kings College, Brunel University and the London South Bank University have invented a device which cancels out the noise of the oral healthcare equipment while still allowing the patient to hear the dentist and other sounds.
It is plugged into an MP3 player or mobile phone and uses filtering to cancel out the noises that cause many people to fear going for emergency dentistry treatment.
Its creator Professor Brian Millar said he got the idea from car manufacturer Lotus, which was recently able to cancel out road noise while still allowing drivers to hear sirens and other potential dangers.
"The beauty of this gadget is that it would be fairly cost-effective for dentists to buy and any patient with an MP3 player would be able to benefit from it, at no extra cost," he added.
The British Dental Health Foundation recommends that anyone who suffers anxiety at the dentist should say so, as many professionals now offer some form of treatment for nervous patients.
