The Low Down on Dental X-Rays
Often a visit to the dentist involves the dentist or oral health therapist requesting to take some x-rays. Often the patient looks a little hesitant about this and may wonder why they are necessary or safe.
Dental diseases, whether it is tooth decay, gum disease where the jawbone degrades or infection, are sneaky and lurk beneath the surface making it impossible to identify these problems just by looking in the mouth.
The x-rays will help the dentist identify any such problems and ensure that your examination is complete and the treatment plan addresses not only the things you may have been aware of but also conditions that may have long-term implications for your teeth and gums.
X-rays are a form of radiation and this is often a concern for patients. As you can see from the image, the dose of dental x-rays is low when compared to other kinds of radiation we encounter going about our lives.
When selecting which x-ray to take your clinician is bound by the ALARA principle.
ALARA stands for “as low as reasonably achievable”. This principle means that even if it is a small dose, if receiving that dose has no direct benefit, you should try to avoid it.
What this means for us in practice is we chose the smallest film and lowest dose type x-ray that will assist us with the diagnosis based on what we think we will find out and if this will assist us in our treatment planning.
Our goal is always to keep your exposure to x-rays as low as possible.
Ultimately, the risk of not identifying dental disease, infection or pathology such as cysts or cancers outweighs the almost negligible risk from exposure to the radiation.
Being able to detect these things early is the way we can ensure the health and wellbeing of you and your family.
So next time we position the x-ray machine next to your face, please be assured and don’t be afraid. The dentist has calculated that the benefit is greater than the risk and always has your best interests at heart.
