February 21, 2019
How Safe Are Dental X-Rays?
X-rays offer a valuable diagnostic tool to identify potential disease or damage to your child’s teeth. Your child’s mouth grows and changes continually, and a visual examination alone cannot tell us all we need to know. The question may parents have is, how safe are dental x-rays for children?
Pediatric Dental Conditions Exposed by X-Rays
Dental x-rays detect more than just cavities. We, at Jet Set Smiles in North Phoenix, use x-rays to diagnose and treat dental health conditions that we cannot detect during a clinical examination. X-rays help us uncover many conditions including gum disease and cavities in their early stages, which allows for prompt treatment. When we identify and treat dental problems early, dental care is more comfortable for your child and more affordable for you.
Dental x-rays enable us to diagnose bone diseases, to plan orthodontic treatment, and to evaluate injuries after trauma. They also allow us to examine the health of teeth that haven’t erupted yet. We can determine whether your child’s mouth is large enough to accommodate the incoming teeth and if the baby teeth are loosening properly. With x-rays, we are able to collect invaluable diagnostic information by seeing what is not apparent to the eye.
adverse health effects, and their benefits far outweigh any potential risks. With digital x-rays, we are able to obtain a large amount of diagnostic and preventive information we need to ensure your child maintains optimal oral health during the critical growth and development years.
How Often Do Children Need X-Rays?
It’s important that you ensure your child visits the dentist regularly, and to get x-rays as required. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends getting diagnostic x-rays once a year, or every six months for children at high risk of tooth decay. At Jet Set Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we use digital x-rays minimally for safety, with the frequency depending on your child’s dental history and the current condition of the teeth and mouth.
Are X-Rays Safe for Children?
Today’s advanced technology makes x-rays much safer for children than in the past. With the contemporary safeguards, the amount of radiation your child receives from a dental x-ray is minimal. We, at Jet Set Smiles Pediatric Dentistry only use the most modern, low radiation, high speed digital dental x-rays, and adhere to the recommended precautions to assure your child’s safety.
Pediatric dental x-rays have been shown to pose a very low risk of causing adverse health effects, and their benefits far outweigh any potential risks. With digital x-rays, we are able to obtain a large amount of diagnostic and preventive information we need to ensure your child maintains optimal oral health during the critical growth and development years.
Oral Care at Home
Keeping your child’s teeth healthy will translate into less future need for x-rays. The best way you can safeguard your child’s smile is by maintaining brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing daily. It’s also important to visit your child’s pediatric dentist regularly to ensure any condition is caught and treated early on.
Quality Pediatric Dentistry in North Phoenix
We, at Jet Set Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, love caring for our young patients. Our highly trained and child-friendly staff is committed to delivering exceptional, cutting-edge care in a pleasant and relaxing environment. At jet set smiles we take an individualistic approach to every child to try to minimize radiation exposure. We evaluate the child’s mouth, dental history and talk to the parent to determine if x-rays are needed at that appointment. We look forward to helping our young patients enjoy healthy, happy smiles for a lifetime! Call us today!