If you’ve heard the recent news about the link between regular dental X rays and an increased risk of thyroid cancer, you may now be thinking twice about having dental X rays at your next appointment. Sure, you want to take good care of your teeth, but who wants to treat one health problem (cavities or gum disease) at the expense of getting another (thyroid cancer)?
But before you say no to X rays, it’s wise to put the real risks in perspective.
Dental X Rays: Mixed Reviews
It was in a recent study from Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the U.K. that researchers found the exposure to multiple dental X rays to be possibly associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
But the study didn’t prove a cause-and-effect connection, says Dr. Gigi Meinecke, a dentist in Potomac, Md., and a spokeswoman for the Academy of General Dentistry. What’s more, the researchers point out that the findings were based on patient self-reports of X ray exposure (which can be faulty) rather than controlled variables, adds Meinecke. Even the American Thyroid Association notes on its website that “routine X ray exposure (e.g., dental X rays, chest X rays, mammograms) does not cause thyroid cancer.”
Dental X Rays: How to Protect Yourself
Dental X rays are important because they help you catch a problem early -- especially problems between the teeth, which aren’t as obvious to the naked eye. And when it comes to an infection or gum disease, you don’t want to take a chance on it going undetected: It not only compromises your oral health, but can also lead to health problems elsewhere in your body (such as your heart or pancreas) or increase your risk of preterm delivery if you’re pregnant.
Says Dr. Shehzad Sheikh, founder and director of Dominion Dental Care in Sterling, Va.: “The radiation you’re getting with dental X rays is a relatively small amount, and it is a necessary evil because this is the only way for us to diagnose certain dental problems.
Here’s what to do to protect yourself from unnecessary radiation exposure while you get the dental care you need:
- Get X rays less often. You don’t need dental X rays every year, says Meinecke. “The average adult can get them every two years, sometimes up to three.”
- Wear a lead apron with a collar. Before X rays are taken, your dentist should give you a lead apron with a thyroid collar to put on; this will protect your neck and everything inside it (including your thyroid gland) from radiation.
- Ask about film type. Faster-speed film -- E or F -- exposes you to less radiation than a slower film (like D), explains Sheikh. Meanwhile, digital X rays expose you to even less radiation than conventional film: “The sensor that’s placed in your mouth is so sensitive that you don’t need much radiation to get the image,” says Meinecke.
- Get copies of your X rays before you move or switch dentists. This way, you can take the images with you and get continuity of care -- without exposing yourself to any more radiation.
Photo Credit: @iStockphoto.com/Deklofenak
