“I’ll do them at my next visit” is an all too common response when patients are told it is time for dental x-rays. No, we don’t do them for fun and no, we don’t do them to pad the bill. Dental x-rays are an essential tool for diagnosing many oral health issues that your dentist cannot see with the naked eye, or even with magnifying glasses.

Dental radiographs (x-rays) allow us to diagnose decay between teeth or below the root line and treat the tooth before the problem grows, avoiding potential root canal therapy or dental abscess. Dental radiographs also allow your dentist to check the health of your jawbone and spot cracks in teeth. Radiographs of the mouth are also an important part of the oral cancer screening that you receive during your dental visit.

People have many reasons for wanting to avoid this vital diagnostic tool but the two most common reasons are 1) the process is tedious and uncomfortable and 2) people are worried about receiving too much radiation. Yes, taking the radiographs does add a few minutes to your appointment time but the new sensors used with digital radiography are much more comfortable than those old, hard “films” used in older types of x-ray units. Also, with digital radiography the amount of radiation received by the patient is typically less than the amount of radiation you would receive during one cross-country airplane flight.

Dr. Oz talked about dental x-rays in a newspaper column this week – and while he usually has some good advice, this time he was just plain wrong. Dr. Oz suggested that teeth shouldn’t be x-rayed unless they are causing pain! Why risk infection, possible root canal or even losing a tooth when a minor problem could be diagnosed and treated early with a simple, low radiation dental radiograph? I’m sure Dr. Oz’ dentist will have a lot to say to the good doctor at his next appointment!

If you haven’t had a comprehensive dental check-up in the last few years please contact StoneRidge Dental Care at 614-476-6696 today. Your healthy smile is our highest priority!