We often get questions from patients regarding the use of X-rays.
Dental X-rays are very important in the design of an effective treatment plan for our patients. An X-ray can help diagnose diseases and other problems that may not be visible during a regular examination.
Don’t forget, our teeth and gums are full of nooks and crannies and have the sneaky ability to hide things that cannot be seen by the naked eye.
To diagnose problems in the mouth without X-rays would be like getting your hair done with your stylists’ eyes closed, you wouldn’t want that. Yes, X-rays do emit a small amount of radiation.
However, with today’s technology, digital X-ray equipment releases far less radiation than it did years ago. In fact, according to a recent study, a series of 18 dental X-rays has 20 times less radiation than just one year of the normal background radiation we are exposed to every day from our environment. Dental X-rays also emit 5 times less radiation than taking a flight from Singapore to Bangkok.
The truth is that dental X-rays are the LOWEST source of ionizing radiation from medical AND natural sources. A chest CT scan is 700 times the radiation of a dental X-ray, while a mammogram is 200 times the radiation of a dental X-ray. These are verifiable, measurable facts.
Sometimes the media may choose to sensationalize only one particular research to do a headline story in the papers, so be sure to get all of the facts.
Most importantly, be sure to keep asking questions!
