Why We Take Dental X-Rays.

We often get asked this question by our patients, which is understandable as we don’t ever really have X-Rays taken on any other parts of our body unless we are in Hospital!

So why are our teeth, so different to the rest of our body when it comes to X-Rays?

Tooth decay often only becomes painful when the hole in the tooth, is quite large and close to the nerve. This means that if our Dentists were to be totally reactive and wait until you had pain before completing a diagnosis, which would include that X-Ray, it might be too late to save the tooth and it would have to be extracted – ouch! However luckily for you, Charlie is very proactive in his approach, hence why he, Dean & Janie takes those X-Rays at regular intervals.The X-Rays allow us to see the tiny holes, which although not yet large enough to cause pain and discomfort, can be treated early to ensure the dreaded tooth decay doesn’t set in! Sometimes a small filling is enough to nip the issue in the bud, way before any pain sets in, meaning that tooth is healthy for many years to come. This also has the added bonus of reducing the risk of expensive treatments such as ‘root canal therapy’ (drilling deep into the tooth to fix it) or an ‘extraction’ (pulling it out).X-Rays also allow us to check the overall health of your teeth, helping us spot any issues with the roots of your teeth and just under the gum line – this can help diagnose any gum disease early and again, allow early treatment to stop the problem in its tracks.

What Rules do we Follow for Taking X-Rays?

We follow some guidelines published by the ‘Faculty of General Dental Practice’ in the UK – FGDP(UK) called, ‘Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography.’These guidelines tell us that any patients who are thought to be at low risk of Dental health problems should have X-Rays taken every 18 to 24 months. On occasion X-Rays may be taken slightly more frequently if required, but this is kept to an absolute minimum by our team.Ultimately, if you don’t want to have an X-Rays taken that is your choice and we would respect that, but remember it is one of the most crucial tools in helping prevent Dental pain and poor Dental Health.

Is it Safe to Have Dental X-Rays When I’m Pregnant?

This is another common question and the answer is… YES, it is safe.The X-Ray beam is aimed at a very focussed area (your teeth!) and is of a low dose, meaning the risk of any complications is minimal. Sometimes, X-Rays may be delayed until after birth if this is seen as acceptable by all involved, unless of course that horrid dental pain occurs…So there you have it - that's why taking X-Rays is so important for your ongoing health - we take our responsibilities seriously and rest assured, we will always work in your best interests!Hartley Dental, Treating You The Right Way!