Dental x-rays for children

[elenavc]

Does anyone have information on avoiding dental x-rays for children. It seems standard practice in my area for dentists to start x-raying at 5. The party line seems to be the risks are minimal and that the benefits (detecting hard to find cavities, and finding problems early) outweigh the risks.

I'm suspicious and very interested in other's wisdom/experience.

Thank you!

Elena

[Shiloh]

well if the teeth look healthy - no spots, no pain,
then I don't see why it would be necessary at all.
If the dental history is normal - no lost teeth etc.

A panorex at 10 or so would dx any issues with crowding etc.

[sadean]

I am ambivilent about x-rays. I think they are overused, but do serve a purpose. I just took the boys and myself for our cleanings and they did them yet again. Well, they did a panoramic on ds#1, per my request because he hasn't lost some teeth he should have by now (he is missing his two front bottom adult teeth and one of his top teeth came in weird). Ds#2 could get the hang of how to bite the plate, so we skipped it and did a visual assessment, and his teeth are fine. But it seems silly for me, who hasn't had a cavity in 20 years to get annual x-rays.

[mashtree]

I am bumping this up. Took ds to the dentist for his first official visit today (he turned 3 in July). They did not do x-rays this time, but were talking about doing them at his next visit (in half a year or so). I do not know much about dental x-rays for kids, but I do not feel comfortable about them at all... And I do not see the need for them. Ds's teeth are healthy and he has a good bite. Does anyone have more info on this topic? Please?

[ChioMamaPT]

What the dentist will be looking for is decay in between the teeth. The tiny spot where two teeth touch is not visible with a visual exam but is an extremely common spot for decay. I personally think 3 is a bit young to try films. Unless you suspect a problem, you can decline the films. I think 5-6 years is a good time to start unless there is a suspision of decay...(poor hygiene, dark looking areas)

[mashtree]

Thanks for your reply, ChioMamaPT. The dentist did not notice any problems with my boy's teeth. She also said that he has good comfortable spaces between teeth (except in the front) to be able to clean them really well. Maybe a I am paranoid... Our dentist is high-tech kind of dentist though as far as I have noticed... But perhaps those x-rays are not that bad...

[mcamy]

DH works in radiation health and he told me that the bite wing x-rays don't really give you that much exposure, but told me to only have them done once a year. But the panoramic x-rays are another story. The radiation exposure on those is quite high and he told me to never have those done...

I know there are studies that have been done on dental x-rays. It would be worth googling.

[JBaxter]

Dental xrays do have very low radiation. I read an article one time ( and have kicked my self in the butt for not keeping it) but it said it took like 60 dental rays to = 1 chest xray. I was a hygienist for 16 yrs ( sahm now !!) but the offices we worked in didnt usually start taking childrens xrays until 5 or 6 ish - provided there were no visual clues.

[Sherra]

One thing to remember is that radiation is accumulative that I read from xrays no matter how small. I plan on finding a dentist that will support not doing them until more permanent teeth set in. My parents stuck to this but back then when I was a kid, dentists didn't push xrays below age of 5 anyway.

There is even some connection they think between radiation accumulated and birth defects. They say that is why sometimes older women tend to be more at risk for babies born with birth defects. I have not looked into this in depth and only brushed the subject when I had my miscarriage awhile ago and was reading on fertility but it DOES bare being cautious with xrays I believe.


Sherra

[Jenelle]

My son just turned 4 in June, and at this recent visit his mouth was big enough to do the bitewing x-rays. He's having no apparent problems, but they did find 4 cavities - and they were all in between teeth.

I am glad that we caught them when they were still small, because the dentist said he may not even have to use novocaine, as the decay isn't too deep and close to any nerves yet. So in our case, I believe the small amount of exposure was worth it... and they'll only do x-rays once per year.