Dental
X-rays remain a valuable tool in detecting oral health problems
A study published in Cancer, the
peer-viewed journal of the American Cancer Society, found that people diagnosed
with meningioma, a generally non-cancerous tumor, are more likely to report
that they’ve received certain types of dental X-rays in the past.
There are several important things to understand about this study.
This finding doesn’t mean that
dental X-rays cause these tumors; much more research is needed.
·
The results rely on the individuals’
memories of having dental X-rays taken years earlier. The ability to recall
information is often imperfect. Therefore, the results of studies that use this
design can be unreliable because they are affected by what scientists call
“recall bias.”
·
The study acknowledges that some of
the subjects received dental X-rays decades ago when radiation exposure was
greater. Radiation doses were higher in the past due to the use of old X-ray
technology and slower speed film.
Dental X-rays are a valuable part of
detecting oral health problems at an early stage. Many oral diseases can’t be
detected with a physical examination alone. Dental X-rays help provide
information about a patient’s oral health such as early-stage cavities, gum
diseases, infections and some types of tumors. How often dental X-rays should
be taken depends on the patient’s oral health condition, age, risk for disease
and any signs and symptoms of oral disease that the patient might be
experiencing. If you have concerns the ADA encourages you to talk to your
dentist, but eliminating X-rays altogether could be detrimental to your oral
health.
Source: ADA American Dental Association
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