SOME people may find watching pop music videos a painful experience, but a Finnish inventor claims it can reduce the amount of pain relief needed by people receiving dental treatment.

Ismo Karttunen has developed a headset designed to distract people while their dentist drills out their cavities. The Prodent system comprises a pair of oversized goggles with a tiny television screen mounted in front of each eye, plus a set of headphones to drown out the drilling. The goggles, which are connected to an entertainment centre, can display anything from music videos to nature films.

Dentists testing the glasses in Finland asked patients to raise their hand if they wanted a local anaesthetic injection. Patients wearing the goggles went longer without pain relief than those with no specs, says Karttunen.