How Often Should I Have Dental X-rays?

Maybe you’re a new patient, or you’re pregnant, or you’re just worried about exposure to low levels of radiation, but a common question we get from our Hendricks County patients at Danville Family Dentistry is: How often should I expect to have dental X-rays taken?
Well, the frequency really depends on your age, your oral health, your risk for disease, and whether you’re experiencing any symptoms like tooth pain. If you seem to get a lot of cavities, you may need to have X-rays every 6 months. However, if your teeth and gums are healthy, you may only need X-rays once every 2 years.
Dr. Jon Erickson uses dental X-rays to help him fully see your teeth and gums, particularly those hidden areas he can’t see during an oral exam. X-rays help him to detect and treat any damage or disease, especially those dental problems in the early stages of development. The use of X-rays can potentially save you money and unnecessary pain.
If you’re a new patient at our Hendricks County office, we recommend a full set of X-rays to determine your current oral health and to use as a baseline to identify changes that may occur to your teeth and gums over time. If your previous dentist has any X-rays of your mouth, we may ask you to help us obtain copies of them.
If you have children who are being seen by Dr. Erickson, they may require X-rays more often than adults. More frequent X-rays are required since your children’s teeth and jaws are still growing, and they’re more likely to develop cavities.
Dr. Erickson will review your oral history, examine your mouth and then decide if you or your children need X-rays or not.
If you’re pregnant, let Dr. Erickson and his staff know before any X-rays are done. In general, dental X-rays are safe, but they do require very low levels of radiation exposure. However, the risk of potential harmful effects is very small. At Danville Family Dentistry, we use a leaded apron and collar on all pregnant women and women of childbearing age as well as on children.
If you haven’t been to a dentist in Hendricks County or elsewhere in a while, or you’re experiencing dental problems, call us at 317-745-4400 today to schedule your appointment.