Research links brain tumors with dental X-rays
Patients should not be alarmed by a new study in the American Cancer Society's journal Cancer (March 2012) which suggests links between dental radiographs and one of the most common types of brain tumours, meningioma.
This is because dentists are trained to understand the risks of ionising radiation to their patients, and to minimise the exposure where possible. The decision to take a radiograph is based on a clinical assessment of the patient, taking into account their risk for dental disease and the diagnostic information that a radiograph can provide, balanced against the potential harm to the patient, and the risk to the patient of misdiagnosis. Research suggests that bitewing radiographs will detect up to 75% of approximal carious lesions and 25% of occlusal lesions in posterior teeth were not detected by clinical examination alone.
Researchers for the US study examined data from more than 1,400 patients who had been diagnosed with meningioma, and compared them to more than 1,300 adults who were tumor-free.
Adults who developed brain tumors were more than twice as likely to have reported having had bitewing X-rays yearly, if not more frequently.
However, it is important to note that dental technology has improved markedly over the years, significantly decreasing the risk to patients today. Present day dental radiograph films are much faster, and require less radiation exposure, while digital radiographs reduce exposure by up to 80-90% compared to conventional film. It is likely that most of the patients in the study received their exposure to dental radiation many decades ago, when exposure was likely to be much higher.
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s Code of Practice and Safety Guide Radiation Protection in Dentistry establishes the responsibilities of those involved in dental radiology, and lays down requirements for equip and siting, image receptors and film and processing, and procedures to minimize exposure to ionizing radiation.
This is because dentists are trained to understand the risks of ionising radiation to their patients, and to minimise the exposure where possible. The decision to take a radiograph is based on a clinical assessment of the patient, taking into account their risk for dental disease and the diagnostic information that a radiograph can provide, balanced against the potential harm to the patient, and the risk to the patient of misdiagnosis. Research suggests that bitewing radiographs will detect up to 75% of approximal carious lesions and 25% of occlusal lesions in posterior teeth were not detected by clinical examination alone.
Researchers for the US study examined data from more than 1,400 patients who had been diagnosed with meningioma, and compared them to more than 1,300 adults who were tumor-free.
Adults who developed brain tumors were more than twice as likely to have reported having had bitewing X-rays yearly, if not more frequently.
However, it is important to note that dental technology has improved markedly over the years, significantly decreasing the risk to patients today. Present day dental radiograph films are much faster, and require less radiation exposure, while digital radiographs reduce exposure by up to 80-90% compared to conventional film. It is likely that most of the patients in the study received their exposure to dental radiation many decades ago, when exposure was likely to be much higher.
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s Code of Practice and Safety Guide Radiation Protection in Dentistry establishes the responsibilities of those involved in dental radiology, and lays down requirements for equip and siting, image receptors and film and processing, and procedures to minimize exposure to ionizing radiation.
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