Binaural beats for dental anxiety and pain: a meta-analysis (Shukla 2025)

Binaural beats significantly reduced dental anxiety versus control (VAS mean difference −1.50, 95% CI −2.34 to −0.65). The effect on pain was inconclusive against a no-intervention control, and the certainty of the evidence was rated low.

A plain-language summary from binaural's reading notes, edited by Jude Mc. Last updated 10 November 2026. Not medical advice.

The question: Do binaural beats reduce anxiety and pain during dental treatment in children and adults?

What it found

• Binaural beats significantly reduced dental anxiety versus control (VAS mean difference −1.50, 95% CI −2.34 to −0.65, I² = 0%; a pulse-rate measure −1.37, 95% CI −1.98 to −0.76).
• Against a no-intervention control, the effect on pain was inconclusive (mean difference −3.30, 95% CI −37.67 to 31.06, I² = 94%).
• Only against a positive control did pain drop significantly (mean difference −13.78, 95% CI −25.68 to −1.88, I² = 68%).
• GRADE certainty was rated low.

Limits

• Only 6 trials were pooled.
• There was high risk of selection and detection bias, and non-English studies were excluded.
• Heterogeneity on the pain outcomes was heavy (I² up to 94%).
• The authors call for methodologically robust trials.

Where this sits

More in the library on anxiety and stress. For the wider picture, read Binaural beats for anxiety.

This is our plain-language reading of the paper. It is not medical advice, and one study rarely settles a question.