The use of radiation is prevalent in all medical fields, and dental x-ray radiation is no exception. While dental x-ray radiation is widely accepted as being an important and necessary procedure in order to find abnormalities and disease, the use of radiation in any setting provokes nervousness in many patients. Because of the long-term effects of radiation poisoning, there is understandable anxiety about periodic exposure. Certainly, the use of dental x-ray radiation sixty, forty or even twenty years ago was inadvisably high. However, with the advances made in dental x-ray radiation technology and the enormous advantages it causes within the field, the benefits definitely outweigh the risks.
1) Dental X-Ray Radiation Catches Hidden Decay
As highly trained and educated professionals, dentists can diagnose and treat many dental issues just through visual oral examinations. However, there are many problems in the teeth, gums and jaw that can't be seen with the naked eye and therefore may go undetected. This is where dental x-ray radiation comes in. Dental x-ray radiation can reveal potential problems in only a matter of minutes. Some of the problems that can be detected are:
- Interproximal cavities. Cavities don't just happen in the crown of the tooth, but can appear just below the place where the teeth come together. Since this pocket is nestled against the gums, it is inaccessible for cleaning from a toothbrush. These are most easily spotted by dental x-ray radiation.
- Filling cavities. Cavities tend to wear away, and if the integrity of the compound is compromised, then bacteria can make their way toward the root of the tooth. While this wouldn't be apparent from an oral examination, dental x-rays will easily reveal it.
- An abscess or cyst. While dental x-ray radiation generally is not administered unless the patient is new or there is reason to believe it is needed for the teeth, it can reveal problems in surprising places. Oral abnormalities can be dealt with through dental x-ray radiation before they become dangerous enough to be noticed by the patient.
2) Dental X-Ray Radiation is a Preventative Measure
Not only can dental x-ray radiation catch hidden infections and disease invisible to the eye, but it can prevent the spread of gum disease and tumors. With issues such as cancer, tumors and gingivitis, the biggest problem comes down to time. If a dentist uses dental x-ray radiation to spot periodontal disease, he or she can come up with a quick and effective treatment plan. Dental x-ray radiation can reveal malignant tumors before they expand and become inoperable. Dental x-ray radiation can quite easily save a life.
3) Dental X-Ray Radiation Uses Low Dosage
Radiation has been linked to chromosomal changes and various types of cancer. However, studies in dental x-ray radiation have led to huge technological improvements over the last decade. While large amounts of radiation were being used in the 1940s and 1950s, research has advanced and dentists are being far more cautious with their use of dental x-ray radiation. For instance, the film speed used in the process used to last a few seconds, and even the fastest, D speed, caused overly long exposure time in dental x-ray radiation. In 1982, however, E speed film was developed, which cut down the radiation dosage by an
enormous 50%. Research continues even now, so that in 2001 there was a further 20% in radiation exposure when using dental x-ray radiation. Overall, that totals a 70% cut-back in the last sixty years alone.
While allowing radiation baths along their teeth makes some people uncomfortable, dental x-ray radiation is actually fairly insignificant when compared to other radiation sources. Outside radiation sources that don't occur naturally in the body are measured in a unit called millisievert. A full oral radiograph taken with dental x-ray radiation exposes a patient to only about
one fifth the amount gained annually from cosmic radiation alone. When added to annual atmosphere and Earth radiation, the total comes to more than twenty times the amount used in dental x-ray radiation.