Dental x ray of a child

A dental x-ray is a very safe tool available to help diagnose oral health issues that would otherwise go unseen until they become larger problems. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AADP) recommends performing dental x-rays on children based on each patient’s needs and not just age alone.

According to Mouth Healthy by the American Dental Association, dental X-rays are safe. They will expose your child to low radiation levels, but the possibility of experiencing any harmful effects is also low. Additionally, most dental professionals follow the new pediatric X-ray guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration.

Bitewing x-rays are recommended every six to 18 months for a child at risk of tooth decay and every 12 to 36 months for a child at low risk. Dental x-rays of children should only be taken when necessary. Just because your insurance plan covers a certain number of x-rays, that does not necessarily mean you should have them taken.Fortunately, dental x-rays–and digital x-rays especially–are not only safe, they have important benefits. An x-ray can seem like a scary thing, especially for a child. However, x-rays are an important part of dental health, and periodically necessary to your child’s checkup. Dental x-rays are used to take pictures of the teeth, gums, and bones.Children may need to have dental X-rays more often than adults because their dentists might need to monitor the growth of their adult teeth. This is important because it can help the dentist determine if baby teeth need to be pulled to prevent complications, like adult teeth growing in behind baby teeth.