Are Dental X-Rays Safe And Why You Need Them: Don't Believe The Myths
Posted on 12/23/2021 by Office
When you were a child, your parents probably told you that x-rays are generally bad for your teeth. They might have even said that they can cause cancer and other serious health problems. But do these myths really hold up? No! This blog post will dispel some of the myths around dental x-rays and give you the facts about what they are and why they're important to your oral health care.
1. What are dental x-rays, and what do they show? Dental x-rays are quite simply a type of picture that your dentist uses to determine the health and status of your teeth. They can help detect cavities, cysts, tumors, injured bones, and more.
You might wonder why you don't just take an oral snapshot at home with a camera or phone? The answer is simple: dental equipment used by professionals has a higher resolution than what consumers use at home! This means they can see much smaller details in your mouth, including signs of disease, which could be difficult to find without these powerful images.
Are Dental X-rays are safe?
Yes, dental x-rays are completely safe. In fact, your dentist is exposed to them regularly, and they aren't showing any signs of problems! X-ray machines used in dentistry work at very low levels, so radiation exposure is minimal compared to other types of imaging such as CT scans or mammograms.
The truth about the "cancer link."
There has been some speculation that getting too many dental x-rays can cause serious health problems like cancer. However, this idea isn't based on scientific evidence - it's more likely an old myth passed down from one generation of patients to another because we all know someone who claims their spouse/parent died of cancer after having excessive amounts of dental exams with x-rays.
Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that there are no risks to getting x-rays. For example, if you have a broken tooth or abscess and the dentist has to sedate you with general anesthesia to work on your mouth - it's possible for people who are very sensitive to radiation exposure (like cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy) may react badly during the procedure. This would be an extremely rare case but always worth keeping in mind!
We hope this blog post has been informative and helped you better understand the importance of dental x-rays. As always, feel free to call us with any questions or comments! If you'd like a second opinion about your teeth, book an appointment at our practice today!
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Dental Blog | Tania Tran, DMD - Grove Street Family Dentistry Dr. Tania Tran has provided this educational blog as a resource for the community. We hope that this blog will cover subjects you may be interested in. Call us! Grove Street Family Dentistry - Tania Tran, DMD, 1533 Grove Street, Marysville, WA 98270-4325 / (360) 659-3200 / grovestreetdentist.com / 12/1/2024 / Related Terms: dentist /
When you were a child, your parents probably told you that x-rays are generally bad for your teeth. They might have even said that they can cause cancer and other serious health problems. But do these myths really hold up? No! This blog post will dispel some of the myths around dental x-rays and give you the facts about what they are and why they're important to your oral health care.