We hear it a lot. A patient sits down in the chair for their routine dental exam; we mention we’re going to take some X-rays, and the questions start. “Are those really safe?” “How much radiation am I getting?” “Do I really need them every year?”
It’s a fair question. We get it. Nobody wants extra radiation exposure, even in small amounts. And as a parent, you really don’t want it for your kids. So here’s what dental X-rays actually are, why we take them, and why we’re not worried about safety.
We Can’t See Everything With Our Eyes
Most of what’s going on in your mouth is hidden. We can see the tops and sides of your teeth, and we can check your gums. But we can’t see between your teeth, under your gums, or inside the bone that holds everything in place.
That’s where X-rays come in. They let us see:
- Cavities between teeth: These are the sneaky ones. You can’t see them or feel them until they’re big.
- Bone loss around your teeth: A key sign of gum disease, and it doesn’t show up on a visual exam.
- Infection at the root tip: Sometimes a tooth looks perfectly fine on top but has an abscess brewing underneath.
- Impacted teeth: Wisdom teeth, for example, might be stuck under your gums where we’d never know without an X-ray.
- Chips and other hidden problems: These don’t always show up on the surface.
Without X-rays, we’d be guessing. And guessing isn’t good dentistry.
So How Much Radiation Are We Talking About?
A set of four bitewing X-rays, the kind we take at a routine checkup, exposes you to about 0.005 millisieverts of radiation.
For context, you get about 0.1 millisieverts from eating a single banana. You get about 0.1 millisieverts from a cross-country flight. And you get roughly 3 millisieverts every single day just from living on Earth.
The radiation from a dental X-ray is tiny. You’d need thousands to approach levels that would even start to matter.
We Use Digital X-Rays
We use digital X-rays, not the old film kind. Digital sensors need way less radiation to get a clear image, up to 80% less than film. They’re also faster, which means less time sitting there with a sensor in your mouth.
We also use a lead apron with a thyroid collar, so the rest of your body gets essentially zero exposure. We’re careful.
When Do You Actually Need X-Rays?
Not everyone needs them every year. It depends on your situation.
If you’re a healthy adult with no cavities in years and no gum issues, you might only need X-rays every 18 to 24 months. If you’ve had recent cavities, gum disease, or other problems, we might want them more often.
For kids, we take them based on their risk. Kids grow fast, and their teeth shift, so we may want them more often at certain ages, but only when there’s a real reason.
We don’t take X-rays just to take them. Every image has a purpose, and we’ll always explain why we’re recommending them.
Protect Your Oral Health Today
Dental X-rays are one of our safest, most useful tools. The radiation is minimal, the technology keeps improving, and the information we get helps us catch problems when they’re small and easy to fix.
If you’re ever unsure, just ask. We’ll walk you through exactly why we’re recommending them for you or your family. No pressure. Just honest answers.
Call us at 970-205-9614 with questions or to schedule a visit. We’re happy to talk it through.