How much radiation is involved with dental x-rays?
Using state of the art technology, a full set of x-rays will deliver a dose of 3 millirem of radiation. This is equal to 4 days of being outdoors. Federal and state regulations for workers whose occupation involves exposure to radiation sets 5000 millirems of radiation per year as safe. Who determines how much radiation is safe? The Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the Food and Drug Administration (www.FDA.gov), the American Dental Association (www.ADA.org), the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements are a few of the organizations that monitor x-ray usage. Many states also have regulations regarding x-rays and x-ray equipment.
