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MISSOULA- Recent reports about a possible link between thyroid cancer and dental X-rays prompted Dr. Brad Pickhardt to learn more about the pros and cons of dental imaging.

Folks who go to the dentist on a regular basis have probably had tooth X-rays several times and to find out if they're safe and patients really need them we talked with Dr. Armando Gama, an oral surgeon.

"X-rays can detect cavities that are subtle and small before they become a bigger problem in terms of jeopardizing the integrity of the tooth cavities treated with fillings when they are small can lead to a tooth that can last much, much longer, perhaps a tooth whose tooth went to the decay chamber and required a root canal or crown," Gama said.

Bite Wing X-rays, which are typical recall X-rays, expose the patient about as much radiation as a person would get walking around for seven hours," he explained. "Patients maybe have become aware of the possible link of dental X-rays to thyroid cancer because of a study that was published a year ago. Certainly there are precautions dentists can take to minimize exposure while they take X-rays. But in general the risk of thyroid cancer is minimal.

"Patients are screened with lead aprons that come up to the thyroid level to cover the thyroid because it's the most susceptible organ in the area to radiation," Gama continued. "Probably they most important thing dental offices do they only take X-rays when needed.

"Digital dental radiography has significantly decreased the amount of radiation that's required to get workable X-rays," Gama concluded.

The bottom line is that dental X-rays are important to healthy teeth, but patients shouldn't hesitate to ask the dentist how often they are really need and what they are doing to keep safe.