X-rays are an essential tool in a dentist’s work. It is important to take x-rays during your dental examination to support the visual examination and establish an accurate diagnosis.

The word “diagnosis” means “to go through knowledge” in Greek. An interesting fact is that your dentist must prescribe an X-ray. The dentist will determine how often X-rays should be taken, depending on your dental profile. A thorough analysis is necessary to assess the presence of cavities, bone loss, periodontal disease, developmental abnormalities and other conditions.

X-rays are a fast and accurate procedure performed by your oral health professionals. Their expertise helps limit your exposure to radiation. In fact, when taking X-rays, wearing a lead apron with a thyroid collar provides extra protection.

Contrary to popular belief, dental radiation doses are extremely low, because the exposure time is so short. Moreover, they do not accumulate in the human body. The cellular repair mechanism is constantly being initiated by our bodies. To put it in context, 3 small dental X-rays are equivalent to one day of natural radiation, while a 5-hour flight represents 3 days of natural radiation!

Don’t neglect taking dental X-rays, and trust your dentist. The risks versus the benefits are always evaluated. Did you know that an X-ray image depicts 30 levels of gray detectable by the human eye?