Have you ever wondered if dental X-rays are safe? Are you concerned about exposure to unnecessary radiation? The truth is that X-rays are an essential part of oral examinations. Dental X-rays can reveal oral health problems such as bone loss, cysts, tumors, and dental caries that may not be detectable to the naked eye. Although dental X-rays emit some radiation to capture images of the oral cavity, radiation emission is actually quite minimal. Dr. Ann Kania explains.
Why do patients need dental X-rays?
At oral examinations, panoramic X-rays and bite-wing X-rays are taken to assess patients’ oral health. Images captured by X-rays are incredibly useful for diagnosing oral health conditions such as periodontal disease and tooth decay.
How much radiation do dental X-rays emit?
Traditional dental X-rays emit about a day’s worth of radiation. Every day, you are exposed to some radiation from environmental factors. For example, small amounts of radon in the air or living in a brick house expose people to daily radiation. In most cases, dental X-rays emit about 1.5 millirems of radiation. When compared to other diagnostic imaging procedures such as mammograms or CT scans, dental X-ray emission is minimal. (more…)