How safe are x-rays?
Exposure to all sources of radiation — including the sun, minerals in the soil, appliances in your home, and dental X-rays — can damage the body’s tissues and cells and can lead to the development of cancer in some instances. Fortunately, the dose of radiation you are exposed to during the taking of dental X-rays is extremely small. Advances in dentistry over the years have lead to a number of measures that will minimize the risks associated with X-rays. However, even with the advancements in safety, the effects of radiation are added together over a lifetime. So every little bit of radiation you receive from all sources counts. If you are concerned about radiation exposure due to X-rays, talk to your dentist about how often X-rays are needed and why they are being taken. While some people need X-rays taken more frequently, current guidelines require that X-rays be given only when needed for clinical diagnosis. Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.
For most diagnostic investigations, there will be no adverse effects from irradiation. Although there are many different types of radiation effect, those that can occur in diagnostic practice are only a few and their likelihood is very small. For example, the amount of radiation received in a simple X ray examination such as a chest X ray (radiograph) or a radiograph of the skull, abdomen, pelvic region, arms, shoulder or knees is quite low and is equivalent to less than one year of radiation exposure from natural sources. At these levels of radiation exposure, carcinogenic and genetic effects cannot be ruled out but remain only a theoretical possibility, as there is no practical evidence of such effects from any human studies to date.
