Are routine dental x-rays safe & necessary?

Radiation in the amounts used to expose dental X-rays, is very small. In fact, the average American actually receives more radiation from sitting in front of the family television for a period of one year than from routine X-rays taken at the dental office. With the advance of digital x-rays, the radiation exposure will be reduced by 90%. Dental x-rays are taken to diagnose problems that may be occurring in your teeth and supporting bone that are not visible to the naked eye. If the condition is allowed to develop until it is detectable by a visual exam the problem will have progressed significantly and require more extensive treatment than if it was caught in the early stages with the help of x-rays. Nevertheless, the radiation we receive from all sources is cumulative over our lifetime, so we need to be aware of exposures. Discuss with your dental professional the need and frequency for x-rays and have your original x-rays forwarded if you change dental care providers.  more