Both doctors and their patients have probably wondered about the safety of x-rays at least once. We've created an infographic that shows steps doctors can take to ensure the safety of their patients during the x-ray process.

Important Note: What the Research Says

According to the American College of Radiology, 4 bitewing x-rays expose a patient to approximately the same amount of radiation that patient receives from the sun and other sources each day.         

A study conducted in 1995 in Sweden and the United States showed no link between thyroid cancer and the number of diagnostic x-rays, medical or dental, that patients received.

What Doctors Can Do

Doctors and their staff still have a responsibility to expose their patients to as little radiation from x-rays as possible. They can do this by:

1. Following accepted guidelines for administering x-rays
2. Ensuring patients use all available protective gear during x-rays whenever possible
3. Reducing the x-ray beam to the smallest possible size for acquiring the necessary information
4. Basing the decision on whether or not to take an x-ray on each individual patient’s needs

Safety Through Responsible Behavior

Overall, x-rays are safe and extremely useful for diagnosing the cause of patients’ discomfort. But staff who perform x-rays should be well-trained, and doctors should attempt to expose patients to as little radiation as possible.

Now that your mind is at ease about the safety of dental x-rays, learn how to deal with your patients' x-ray concerns.

Sources:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/15/health/living-well/dental-x-rays/

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/MedicalX-Rays/ucm116505.pdf

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_xray

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/20/health/la-he-dental-xrays-20131221

http://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/dentaldoses.html