“Are dental x-rays really safe?”
My dentist uses x-rays a lot with me. I know it's to identify certain conditions, but are they safe if they're done almost every appointment? How necessary are they?
3 Answers
Low risk patients need them annually. High risk patients every six months. Digital x-rays are mostly safe
Hi there,
Dental X-rays exhibit much less radiation than many medical diagnostics, i.e., chest X-rays, etc. These days, a majority of dentists have incorporated digital X-rays which require much less exposure time, hence even lower radiation. However, the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable) is always followed. The normal individual will have X-rays every 18 months. If the individual has a high caries (cavities) incidence, the frequency is shorter to catch and treat when decay is minimal. Prevention is better than the cure!
Dental X-rays exhibit much less radiation than many medical diagnostics, i.e., chest X-rays, etc. These days, a majority of dentists have incorporated digital X-rays which require much less exposure time, hence even lower radiation. However, the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable) is always followed. The normal individual will have X-rays every 18 months. If the individual has a high caries (cavities) incidence, the frequency is shorter to catch and treat when decay is minimal. Prevention is better than the cure!
Safe
