Why is the dentist always taking x-rays?
There was a time when I remember going to the dentist and not having any dental x-rays taken. The dentist took his time and examined the inside of your mouth thoroughly to check for cavities or any other oral abnormalities. Now, every time I go to the dentist, he INSISTS on taking x-rays of my mouth instead of taking the time and effort to do a manual examination. There are several reason why dentists continually x-ray their patients’ mouths:
- They are looking for any hidden tooth decay and damage to tooth roots.
- They are looking for any teeth, such as wisdom teeth, that might be hidden under the gums.
- They are examining how children are growing in permanent teeth.
- They can better plan for surgeries, extensive cavity fills, tooth removals, and placement of implants.
- They can better plan for orthodontic treatments, such as braces.
These are all great reasons for x-raying patients, but it doesn’t seem necessary to do EVERY SINGLE CHECKUP!
How damaging are dental x-rays to the body?
When visiting the dentist, he will most likely use a diagnostic x-ray to photograph your teeth. These x-ray machines use a form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation, which create an image by passing a beam of radiation through the mouth’s soft tissues and bones. This form of x-ray machines produces radiation which is capable of removing electrons from atoms, causing damage to DNA.
Concerning the dangers of dental x-rays, the EPA states, “…since x-ray machines only produce radiation during operation and the amount of radiation used is small, resulting medical problems are unlikely.” It might be true if an x-ray was taken only once in a blue-moon, but dentists use them for an average checkup. They do not take the time to do a thorough oral examination themselves, but rather rely on dangerous machines to do it for them. I know that I have personally received a dental x-ray once every six-months for the past couple of decades. All the radiation that was shot into my mouth’s tissues and bones has built up over the years, and has ripped electrons out of atoms, and mutated my DNA. If you have had multiple dental x-rays taken over numerous years, similar to me, then the same thing has happened to your cells and atoms also!
How to protect yourself from dental x-ray radiation.
There are only a couple options you can consider concerning dental x-rays.
- Absolutely refuse to see any dentist that insists on taking x-rays! Many dentists may resist or give you a list of reasons why x-rays should be taken. But remember, the x-ray images are making their job a lot easier, so they will be EXTREMELY insistent on it. DO NOT be easily persuaded and compromise your health to make his job easier! If you do not feel comfortable receiving an unnecessary dose of radiation, your dentist, as a medical professional, should understand.
- Make a deal with your dentist that you only want to receive dental x-rays once every couple years, or only when you believe there might be a health issue at hand. Unless you have some sort of severe dental issue, it’s completely unnecessary to receive an x-ray of your mouth every 6 months. Imagine if your general practitioner insisted on taking x-rays every time you showed up for a yearly physical! If it sounds odd that your doctor would give you periodic x-rays for check-ups, then why is it normal your dentist to constantly expose you to radiation?
- Take zeolite before and after taking any x-rays! Sometimes you cannot avoid having x-rays taken, by the dentist or any other medical professional. Or maybe you don’t see much of a threat by getting a low dose of radiation a couple times a year. Whatever your beliefs might be, radiation WILL sit in your cells and will slowly work to mutate your DNA. Zeolite pulls this radiation directly out of your cells, and expels it from the body, which means that the radiation DOES NOT have a chance to mutate you DNA and form cancer.