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How Much Radiation is in a Dental Digital X-Ray?

Ever wonder how much radiation in a dental digital X-ray?

Radiation Dosage Chart

.00005 Sleeping next to someone
.00009 Living within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant for a year
.00010 Eating a banana
.00025 Airport security scan
.001 Using a CRT monitor for one year
.005 Dental X-ray
.01 Background dose received by average person on an average day
.04 Flight from New York to LA
.07 Living in a stone, brick or concrete building for one year
.1 Chest X-ray
.4 Annual dose received through food
1.5 Spinal X-ray
2.4 Average background dose per person per year (natural background radiation)
4.0 Mammogram
6.0 Dose from spending one hour on the ground at Chernobyl (2010)
10.0 Average CT scan
36.0 Smoking 1.5 packs a day for one year
50.0 Millisieverts (mSv) Maximum annual dose permitted in US radiation workers

Sources: BBC Guardian Datablog, Mayo Clinic, XKCD data: bit.ly/RadiationChart. Note: logarithmic scale & average doses used.

Here are some of the tools we use to minimize your exposure during your X-rays:

Thyroid Collar - The National Council of Radiographic Protection requires thyroid shielding for all children and they highly recommend it for all adults. Studies show that the use of thyroid collars can reduce exposure levels by over 30%. (1)

Aiming Devices - State-of-the-art XCP (Extension Cone Paralleling) aiming devices ensure accurate and reproducible x-rays every time, thereby reducing the need for retakes. (2)

Faster Film Speed and Digital Sensors - Increasing the film speed or using digital radiography contributes to reducing exposure. F speed film requires 20% to 50% less exposure time than E or D speed film, respectively. (4) When digital images are made the dose reduction ranges from 0% to 50% of the exposure required for F speed film. (5)

StarBrite Dental, the Office of Dr. Maryam Seifi , in Rockville, MDis dedicated to keeping you healthy and providing our patients with the safest, most comfortable experience possible. Good quality diagnostic x-rays are crucial to maintaining your overall dental health. Be assured that we do everything possible to keep you healthy by following the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle for your digital X-rays.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions or discuss your concerns during your next appointment at StarBrite Dental. Make an appointment by calling (301) 770-1070 .

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