My Blog
Archive:
- 2019
- March (6)
- Spring Into Better Oral Health
- A Traditional Bridge Might be the Right Solution for Your Missing Teeth
- 4 Common-Sense Tactics to Lower Tooth Decay Risk Between Dental Visits
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- 3 Things You Should Know About Teeth Grinding
- February (6)
- 3 Ways to Take the Jitters Out of Dental Visits
- Composite Resin Could Amp up Your Teeth's Attractiveness in Just One Visit
- Test You're Brushing and Flossing Success with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Harms Your Health
- Conscious Sedation Eases Treatment Anxiety for Young Dental Patients
- Legal or Not, Marijuana Poses a Health Risk to Your Gums
- January (7)
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- A New Resolution - Floss!
- How Fillings Make Your Smile Healthy Again
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Child Feel More Comfortable Going to the Dentist
- You may Need Orthodontic Treatment Before Obtaining Implants
- Flossing Daily Around Implants will Help Prevent Losing Your Bridge
- 'Get Rid' of Those Unattractive Teeth with Porcelain Veneers
- 2018
- December (6)
- NSAIDs Could be Just as Effective as Narcotics Managing Dental Pain
- What You Need to Know to Buy the Right Toothbrush
- Overcoming Gum Recession will Restore Dental Health and your Smile
- Protecting Primary Teeth from Decay Helps Ensure Future Dental Health
- Stop Smoking to Reduce Your Risk of Gum Disease
- Sealants Provide a Little Extra Protection for Children at High Risk for Decay
- November (6)
- Avoid Implant Failure by Watching Out for These Mouth Problems
- Don't Let GERD Ruin Your Teeth's Health
- The Connection Between GERD and Oral Health
- 4 Things to Know About Diabetes and Gum Health
- Inflammation: the Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
- Don't Wait - Seek Out Treatment for Gum Recession Now
- October (6)
- Mild Pain Relievers may be all you need for Discomfort after Dental Work
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- Watch for These Developing Bite Problems with Your Child's Teeth
- A Topical Fluoride Treatment Could Protect Your Child from Tooth Decay
- 3 Surprising Sugar Sources Your Baby Might be Consuming
- Sedation Can Help Create a More Positive Dental Experience for a Child
- September (7)
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- A Low Sugar, High Fiber Diet will Help Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy
- Have Your Child's Chronic Mouth Breathing Checked to Avoid Bite Problems
- Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Gets Started with Daily Oral Hygiene
- August (7)
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- Take Years off Your Smile by Treating Age-Related Dental Problems
- Diabetes Doesn't Have to Stop You From Acquiring Dental Implants
- Replacing a Tooth or Saving it - Which Should you do?
- 5 Causes of Bad Breath and What You Can Do About It!
- 3 Reasons You Should Consider Tooth Whitening
- Don't Ignore Tooth Pain - You May Need a Root Canal
- July (7)
- Need an Effective but Affordable Tooth Replacement? Look at a Flexible RPD
- Don't Take a Vacation From Oral Hygiene This Summer!
- Keep Alert for this Extreme Form of Gingivitis
- Signs You May Need a Root Canal
- The Importance of Baby Teeth
- What You Can Do to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- What's So Special About Dental Implants?
- June (6)
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- Pediatric Dentists Specialize in Dental Care for Children and Teens
- 3 Areas to Watch to Avoid Excessive Tooth Wear
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
- RPDs Offer Another Tooth Replacement Option for those on a Tight Budget
- May (7)
- Taking the Right Steps to Prevent Early Tooth Decay in Children
- Mouthguards Reduce Risk of Concussion as well as Dental Injuries
- Your Denture Options
- Bone Loss at the Roots can Put Your Tooth in Danger of Loss
- 3 Possible Timing Scenarios for Getting Your New Implant
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Becomes a Major Health Issue
- 4 Things You Should Focus on During Pregnancy for Optimal Dental Health
- April (6)
- Not Crazy about Flossing? Try a Water Flosser
- Don't Let Sports or Energy Drinks Rob you of Your Teeth's Enamel
- Stay Ahead of Gum Disease Re-Infection with Periodontal Maintenance
- Bad Breath in Children
- Instill Good Dental Habits in Your Child as Early as Possible
- Advances in Porcelain Veneers Improve Both Strength and Appearance
- February (5)
- Children with Chronic Health Conditions may Need Extra Dental Care
- Dentures Require Planning and Attention to Detail to Look Natural
- You may Need Orthodontic Work Before Getting a Dental Implant
- We can Rid You of that Lump in Your Mouth you Keep Biting
- Find out What Kind of Tooth Staining you Have Before Seeking a Solution
- 2017
- November (5)
- Paying Attention to Certain Factors Helps Ensure Successful Implant Outcomes
- Tooth Decay can be Less of a Problem with Minimally Invasive Dentistry
- How Effective is Your Oral Hygiene? Find Out with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
- Support Your Child's Dental Development with Preventive Care
- Treating Gum Disease Important to Saving the Underlying Bone
- July (6)
- The Simple Bitewing X-Ray is a Game Changer for Maintaining Dental Health
- Porcelain Veneers: A Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- 5 Things you can do to Improve Your Child's Future Dental Health
- Loose Adult Teeth Require Immediate Attention and Treatment
- The Benefits Of Dental Crowns
- You Don't have to Suffer from Irritating Canker Sores
- May (5)
- Protect Your Child's Long-Term Dental Health with Regular Office Visits
- Could Dentures Be Right for Me?
- Get a Dental Exam as Soon as Possible if you Suspect Gum Disease
- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- Artificial Sweeteners are By and Large a Safe Alternative to Sugar
- March (6)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
- Why Are Porcelain Veneers Effective?
- Be Sure to have These 3 Essentials Covered Beforehand for Veneer Success
- Conscious Sedation can Help Ease Your Child's Dental Visit Anxiety
- All Gum Disease Treatments Have the Same Goal - Removing Bacterial Plaque
- 2016
- November (6)
- Start Early with Your Baby's Dental Care
- Ensure the Best Outcome with the Right Care for a Teen's Missing Tooth
- Dental Implants can Replace Your Whole Tooth, Not Just What You See
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Teaching Your Child Good Oral Hygiene Habits
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- July (5)
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- 4 Reasons Saving Your Child's Decayed Baby Tooth is a Good Idea
- Antibiotic Resistance Requires Action - and a Change of Attitude
- Thumb Sucking And Your Child's Developing Smile
- Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
- March (6)
- 4 Advantages to Using Composite Resins for Restoring Teeth
- Persistent Jaw Pain After an Injury Needs Immediate Attention
- Watch for these 4 Signs of Gum Disease
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 3 Ways Your Dental Hygienist Improves Your Oral Health
- The Benefits of Dental Implants
- 2015
- December (5)
- Sleep Apnea and Behavioral Problems in Children: How Your Dentist Can Help
- Did You Know? February Is National Children's Dental Health Month!
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Is Dental Treatment Safe During Pregnancy?
- Treating Dry Mouth is Important for Maintaining Good Oral Health
- 2014
- September (6)
- New Partial Dentures More Comfortable and Durable Than Older Models
- New Guidelines Issued for Administering Antibiotics Before a Dental Procedure
- Bone Grafting can put Implants Back on Your Options List
- 5 Oral Health Care Tips To Remember This Summer
- Removing Bacterial Plaque is Critical to Halting Advancing Gum Disease
- Early Detection is Critical to Surviving Oral Cancer
- August (5)
- Our Arsenal of Weapons in the War Against Gum Disease
- Overcome Oral Cancer With Screenings and Lifestyle Changes
- Taking Precautions Before, During and After Implants Will Help Ensure Success
- Home vs. Professional Teeth Whitening - Weighing Your Options
- Preserving or Restoring Teeth - Both Paths Lead to Better Oral Health
- 2013
- October (6)
- Health Risks of Oral Piercings
- Cancer Treatment and Oral Health: What You Should Know
- Treating Thumb Sucking Now Could Reduce Orthodontic Treatment Later
- Patients in Syracuse Seek Veneers to Mask Dental Blemishes
- Loose Teeth - A Sign of Trouble That Requires Quick Action
- Implant Overdentures: a Marriage of Options for Lower Jaw Tooth Replacement
- 2012
- August (7)
- Can Thumb Sucking Harm Your Child's Teeth?
- Testing Your Knowledge: Do Your Children Have Good Oral Health?
- Enhance Your Smile Through Teeth Whitening
- How Do Dental Implants Help Preserve Your Youthful Appearance?
- Are Dental Implants Okay For Teenagers?
- Questions You Should Ask Before Getting Porcelain Veneers
- Your Dentist May Be Able To Help You Stop Snoring
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X-rays are an important diagnostic tool in dentistry because of their ability to penetrate and pass through body tissues. Because they penetrate at different speeds depending on tissue density (shorter and thus darker on exposed film for soft tissues, longer and lighter for hard tissues like bone or teeth), we’re able to detect decay which appear as dark areas on x-ray film.
Without x-rays, the early detection and diagnosis of dental problems would be quite difficult. But despite its obvious benefits, it’s still a form of released energy that exposes patients to a certain amount of radiation. Since the potential health risk from radiation depends on the amount released (the dosage) and for how long and often a person is exposed, we must determine if the dosage and frequency from dental x-rays is a cause for concern.
It’s a common misconception to view any radiation exposure as dangerous. The truth is, however, we’re all exposed daily to radiation from the natural environment — about 2 to 4.5 millisieverts (the dosage measurement for radiation exposure) a year, or about 10 microsieverts (one-thousandth of a millisievert) every day.
In comparison, radiation exposure from routine dental x-rays is a fraction of this if measured over time. A set of four bitewing images of the back teeth produces 4 microsieverts of radiation, less than half the average daily exposure. One of the most comprehensive x-ray sets, a full mouth series of 18-20 images using “D” speed film, results in an exposure of 85 microsieverts, equaling about a week of normal radiation exposure.
These thoroughly researched rates help demonstrate that regular dental x-rays are relatively safe. What’s more, x-ray technology has continued to advance since first used in the mid-20th Century. With innovations in film and digital processing, today’s equipment produces only 80% of the radiation exposure of earlier machines. In effect, we’ve increased our capabilities to more accurately detect and diagnose issues through x-rays, while lowering the amount of radiation exposure.
Of course, a person’s annual exposure rate may differ from others. If you have concerns for yourself or your family about x-ray radiation exposure, please feel free to discuss this with us. Our primary goal is to improve your oral health without undue risk to your health in general.
If you would like more information on x-ray diagnostics and safety, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “X-Ray Frequency and Safety.”
