{"id":20502,"date":"2025-01-21T09:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=20502"},"modified":"2025-01-21T10:24:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T10:24:09","slug":"are-dental-x-rays-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=20502","title":{"rendered":"Are Dental X-Rays Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Q: It seems as if every time I visit the dentist, I\u2019m asked to get X-rays. Will this increase my risk of cancer, and how can I square that with the potential benefits?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dental X-rays are essential for oral health. They can help dentists spot issues like cavities, abscesses, abnormal growths and gum disease, often before they become serious.<\/p>\n

But getting X-rays at regular dental cleanings can cause anxiety for some. Dental X-rays emit a form of energy called ionizing radiation, which can damage DNA and increase the risk for cancer<\/a>. So is it risky to get this type of imaging regularly?<\/p>\n

The amount of radiation you\u2019re exposed to during dental X-rays is very low, said David J. Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. It\u2019s much lower than it was decades ago, and often less than the total radiation you\u2019re exposed to every day from your environment, such as from the sun, space and materials in the ground like rocks and soil, he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Even so, experts said that dentists should administer X-rays only when a patient needs them, such as when a practitioner notices a potential problem during an exam and needs more information, said Dr. Erika Benavides, <\/em>a dentist and oral and maxillofacial radiologist at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clinical exam should always come first,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n