When Sounds Attack: Living with Misophonia as a Dental Hygienist

Misophonia is not just a mild irritation or a quirky pet peeve—it's a real condition that can send me into an emotional tailspin over something as simple as the sound of someone chewing.

As a dental hygienist, I’m no stranger to noise. My days are filled with high-pitched suction, the buzz of ultrasonic scalers, and the chatter of patients. Those sounds? I can handle. What drives me absolutely crazy is what happens outside the operatory: the subtle yet torturous sounds of chewing and, yes, even with mouths closed.

But it doesn’t stop there. The repetitive clicking of a pen, the tapping of fingernails on a desk, or the sound of heavy breathing in a quiet room can all trigger a visceral reaction in me. It's like an alarm bell that only I can hear, and once it starts, I can’t unhear it.

What Is Misophonia?

Misophonia literally means “hatred of sound,” but it’s more complex than that. It’s a condition where certain everyday sounds—often related to eating, breathing, or repetitive actions—provoke intense emotional responses like anger, anxiety, and even panic.

For me, it can feel like my brain is on fire from a sound no one else even notices. When my husb

and eats crunchy snacks, even quietly, my entire body tenses. I love him dearly, but in those moments, I want to run away.

The Science Behind the Struggle

Thankfully, research is catching up to what many of us with misophonia already know—it’s not all in our heads.

A breakthrough study from Newcastle University (where my daughter graduated with her degree in International Relations and Politics—proud mom moment!) found that people with misophonia have a supersensitive brain connection. The auditory cortex (which processes sound) is overly connected to parts of the brain that control mouth and face movements. This might explain why sounds like chewing or breathing feel so physically intrusive.

The study also highlighted that our mirror neuron system—the part of the brain that helps us "mirror" others' actions—is overly active. So when I hear someone tapping a pen, it’s as if my brain starts tapping with them, against my will. No wonder it feels so overwhelming.

“The reaction is not just an emotional response related to sound, but something that seems to reflect increased communication between the brain’s auditory and motor regions.” – Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar, Newcastle University

What Helps (Even Just a Little)

Living with misophonia means I’ve had to come up with strategies to protect my peace. Here are a few things that help me manage:

• Noise-canceling headphones: A must-have during travel, work breaks, or anywhere people snack.

• Sound masking: I’ll play soft music or white noise in the background to drown out potential triggers.

• Mimicking the trigger: It sounds strange, but sometimes copying the sound, like tapping or chewing in sync, can reduce the distress.

• Therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tailored to misophonia has been shown to help, especially when focusing on retraining how the brain reacts to certain sounds.

• Grace: I remind myself that it’s okay to step away, to breathe, and to communicate my needs—even if others don’t fully understand.

  
  

You’re Not Alone

If you’re someone who feels rage at the sound of slurping soup or can’t focus because someone is clicking their pen, you’re not alone. Misophonia is real, it’s neurological, and it deserves compassion, not shame.

And if you love someone with misophonia, know that we’re not trying to be difficult. We’re just trying to stay regulated in a world filled with trigger sounds.

This blog is inspired by both personal experience and research, including work from Newcastle University. As someone with misophonia, sharing this helps me feel seen, and I hope it helps you too.