worried about too many xrays (cancer)

[MandySlade]

So this year alone I've had:

2 regular sets of dental xrays
1 set of xrays on my neck/chest/spine after a car accident
1 more dental xray to look at one tooth

and this monday I'm supposed to go in for a panoramic xray at the jaw surgeons office (I have impacted wisdom teeth).

I can't help but think all of this is terribly risky. I feel really stupid for allowing this many to have occurred over the last year. I'm convinced if I'm not already on the fast track to cancer, this next "panoramic" xray will surely push me over the limit. :( Does anyone else worry about this? I'm totally freaking out right now... not to mention my health anxiety has been terrible in general lately due to the teeth issues. Any helpful advice? Most things I've read (I know I know... google = bad) say that xrays are "safe" but there is risk with "too many". I'm fairly certain what I've had is "too many" and that I'm sitting duck for the big C. :(

[macc noodle]

Calm down - the number of xrays you mention is fine and your dentist would not be recommending one were it not necessary I am sure.

Just think of this - many people have far more x-rays than this because they need them and they do not all get cancer from it do they?

Please mention your concerns to your doctor or dentist next time you have an appointment and let them put your mind at rest.

[countrygirl]

Back in the 1980's when I was in my early 20's and health anxiety really kicked in I was sent for loads of tests and in those days they did not have ultrasound or mri scans so everything was by x ray. I then developed spinal problems and more x rays.

I discussed what i thought of as excessive x rays with a consultant radiologist a few years ago and he said obviously the less you have the better and it was more how much exposure in one year that mattered but he recommended I keep away from CT scans as they give a massive dose compared to conventional x ray - he added up my possible x ray exposure over past 20 years and said it was about same as two CT scans so that helped me.

Cancers caused by excessive radiation tend to be of the blood bone marrow type. I know three people who had blood or bone cancers and not one of them had had many x rays in fact one of them had not had a single x ray.


I and you cannot do anything about the exposure we have already had and it does not sound as if you have had alot or have you had many x rays in past????? All we can do is try and limit our exposure in future - if a ct scan is suggested for me I ask for mri and if necessary pay for it myself and I always ask if there is any other test that does not use radiation first.

What you have had so far is not excessive this year.

[pd]

The amount of radiation you receive during an x-ray is very low.

It's not even really a problem for radiologists and x-ray technicians who spend their entire working lives around x-ray machines, although it's certainly sensible for them to take precautions, hence the big lead shield they stand behind.

In general, for radiation to cause cancer the dose needs to be much higher than that received in an x-ray, and prolonged, which means more that a few exposures a year. Obviouslt the less you have, the better, but you really haven't had enough to cause a problem.

Your body can repair any damage caused by radiation up to a certain extent, and the amount of radiation you will have received is not in excess of your body's ability to do that.

[nomorepanic]

x-rays are ok in small amounts. I have had a lot of CT scans over the past 2 years to the point that they won't do anymore for a while now.

I have also had numerous X-rays - every time I was admitted to hospital I was given one and they were aware of all my scans etc so wouldn't do them unless completely necessary.

Please try not to worry

[MandySlade]

Uhg. I'm trying... it's just not working.

[nomorepanic]

Well I have never heard or read about anyone getting cancer from too many x-rays.

[pd]

You receive a dose of ~0.6 mSv during a chest x-ray, 0.9 mSv in a panoramic dental x-ray. The annual natural background radiation dose in the USA, that is, the amount of radiation you receive just from living in the USA is 2.0 mSv per year. Living in a high altitude area increases the level of background radiation you receive, as does frequent flying.

For comparison, a fatal dose of radiation, that is, radiation received all in one go, NOT built up over years, with time for your body to recover in between is about 5000 mSv, and WWII nuclear bomb survivors (who did show an increase in the likelyhood of certain types of cancer, although not as huge an increase as one might expect) received 500-1000 mSv all in one go.

You are getting a relatively tiny dose of radiation each time you have an x-ray, and any cells that are damaged by this radiation are replaced by your body. One receives a much higher dose during radiotherapy as treatment for cancer (hence the horrendous side-effects).

What I'm trying to say is, unless you live in an x-ray machine, you really have nothing to worry about.