The Truth About Dental X-Rays And Pregnancy
From the moment you become pregnant you start to worry about everyday things that you would have previously thought nothing of. This is natural as you are concerned for your unborn baby and want to give them the best possible start in life.
One concern that often arises is x-rays and whether they will affect the health of the unborn baby. The good news is that they are safe.
However, if you have any concerns you should discuss them with your dentist. A reputable dentist, such as this dentist Narre Warren, will have all the information you need to feel comfortable with the procedure.
The Concerns With X-Rays
X-rays allow doctors and dentists to see your bones, tissues, and any masses. They are an essential tool to diagnose issues and help you get the best possible treatment. However, an x-ray picture is achieved by sending radiation through the designated part of the body to create the image.
I the past there have been concerns that radiation can have a negative effect on health. This is especially concerning for babies as they are still developing. The concern comes from the damage that high doses of radiation can cause; skin burns, radiation sickness, cardiovascular issues, and even cancer.
You only have to look at Chernobyl to appreciate what happens when radiation goes wrong.
Fortunately, the amount of radiation used in dental x-rays is very low. All reputable bodies confirm that it will not cause any harm to the unborn baby or the woman carrying the fetus.
Alternative Risk
When considering the risks of x-ray you should feel more confident having discovered the radiation exposure is very small. But, you should also consider the alternative. If you are having an x-ray completed by the dentist then they suspect there is an issue. If you choose not to have the x-ray and don’t get the issue treated you might be allowing an infection to get into your tooth and then spread into your body. This will certainly affect your health and is likely to have a negative impact on your unborn baby.
In this aspect, the only logical thing to do is have the x-ray.
Lead Lining
If you have any concerns you can insist on wearing a lead apron. Lead is effective at preventing radiation from getting to you. If you wear the apron the radiation used in the x-ray will be contained to the area they are x-raying. That’s your mouth. The lead apron will reduce the risk to the unborn baby to close to zero.
Your Choice
Of course, it is your decision whether to have a dental x-ray or not. The bottom line is that if the x-ray isn’t for an emergency it is probably safe to postpone it for six months and have it after your baby is born.
The problem and need to make a decision only arises when you have a dental issue and the dentist needs an x-ray to identify the issue properly. In these instances, it is safer to go ahead with the X-ray.
