How Safe Our Dental X-Rays? Our Dentist Explains

Dental X-rays play a key role in dental care. They eliminate guesswork by showing your dentist clearly and objectively what’s going on in your mouth. They can be used to spot infections, identify cavities, and diagnose the health of the roots of your teeth.

You probably notice we leave the room every time we X-ray your teeth. Does that mean that dental X-rays aren’t safe?

Extremely Low Levels of Radiation

The truth is dental X-rays use extremely low doses of radiation — just a fraction of what you are exposed to in other imaging procedures. They are considered safe for adults and children. And since we use digital X-rays, our dental X-rays are even safer than older methods like film.

How We Protect You

We’ll cover your chest, abdomen, and pelvis with a lead bib. This prevents unnecessary radiation exposure to your vital areas. If you have a thyroid condition, we may use a thyroid collar too.

Dental X-Rays & Pregnancy

First, always tell your dentist if you are pregnant. If you might be pregnant, we will avoid giving you a dental X-ray. Though the radiation exposure is minimal, it’s best to avoid any exposure for the sake of the health of the developing fetus.

However, there are cases when dental X-rays during pregnancy are simply unavoidable. If you have a dental emergency or are in the middle of dental treatment during pregnancy, you may need to do a dental X-ray. Discuss with your dentist how you should proceed. You don’t want to neglect your dental health during pregnancy. Pregnant women face an increased risk of gum disease during pregnancy, and this can have an adverse effect on the health of the baby — it increases the risk of miscarriages and birth defects.

If you are planning on becoming pregnant, talk to your dentist. He or she may be able to come up with a dental plan to get any necessary dental work out of the way before conception for the sake of you and your baby’s safety.