How To Avoid X-rays at the dentist... in the USA

[Spacescifi]

 

 

I know KSP forums is global, so this may not help, but it is worth a try. Here in the USA even if you already had an X-ray 8 months ago or less from the previous year they will often (the dentists and crew) say they will NOT treat you for general cleaning UNLESS you agree to another X-ray.

I have a serious problem with this because: https://news.cancerconnect.com/brain-cancer/dental-x-rays-linked-to-common-brain-tumor

I have asked why get an X-ray to a dental worker once, and he said we won't know how to treat you without seeing your teeth. Seemed reasonable enough. But I really do not think it is necessary for within a year or less of time to get more X-rays unless teeth are just that messed up and one has bad symptoms to boot.

 

I have heard rumors that dentists order more X-rays than they need to, although I am not sure why.

 

Silly reason: X-ray pictures are cool! We collect them.

More likely reason to me: There is some profit motive. Perhaps they use their X-ray machine enough some profit incentive or qualification is reached that helps the company or dental office in some way that average people do not and should not know, as it would mean dentists are responsible for radiaating patients more than necessary in behalf of the 'almighty profit'.

 

Any ideas on this, or suggestions on how I can STILL get general dentistry cleaning care without X-rays? I have my last X-ray pics from over six months ago. I had hoped I could use those for reference.

 

[Dientus]

4 hours ago, Spacescifi said:

More likely reason to me: There is some profit motive. Perhaps they use their X-ray machine enough some profit incentive or qualification is reached that helps the company or dental office in some way that average people do not and should not know, as it would mean dentists are responsible for radiaating patients more than necessary in behalf of the 'almighty profit'.

This is my belief and while not officially verified by an actual dentist, it was insinuated to be true by a dental assistant. So take it for what it's worth.

 

[kerbiloid]

If I was an American, I would start from googling "Amish dentist". If there is a bypass, they should know it.

[TheSaint]

Well, I hate the ultrasonic cleaning tools they use. The back of my lower front teeth is very sensitive, and despite the fact that the hygienists swear on a stack of Bibles that they will not hurt when they use them, they hurt when they use them. I'm practically climbing up the back of the chair. When we moved to our current town I asked around about dentists, got a recommendation, and tried the new dentist. And the hygienist insisted on using the ultrasonic tools. So I didn't go back. Tried another dentist, this time the hygienist was more sympathetic (and a little more old school) and was willing to simply use a pick and scraper. So that's where I go to the dentist.

So, my advice would be to shop around. Not every dentist will have the same policy. And, while this may just be my bias/experience, I find that older dentists/doctors in independent practices are much more willing to work with you on your idiosyncrasies, while the younger practitioners in corporate practices tend more towards, "My way or the highway."  YMMV

[Nuke]

its a case of a new technology becoming a crutch. not that we haven't had x-ray technology for a really long time. but it seems the smartphone generations are more likely to get encrutched by it. in the olden days the dentist would get their dental mirror out and actually look at what was wrong with just the mk1 eyeball. 90% of problems tend to be of the 'keep it simple stupid' type and can be determined without any special equipment (its the same in many fields and is no doubt true in the medical fields as well). with the x-ray being the fallback for the 10% of actually hard to fix problems. i think another contributing factor is that the medical field got all bureaucratic, with rubber stampers demanding that everyone get multiple x-rays so as to reduce the error rate and thus the number of malpractice cases. antibiotics and, more recently, opioids are other good examples of things being overprescribed to the point of harm. to the point where i think doctors need to go back and re-read the hippocratic oath, or at least stop listening to bureaucrats/pharma reps/insurance companies where actual patient care is concerned. its kind of the whole reason they are there in the first place.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Nuke

[Nuke]

4 hours ago, TheSaint said:

Well, I hate the ultrasonic cleaning tools they use. The back of my lower front teeth is very sensitive, and despite the fact that the hygienists swear on a stack of Bibles that they will not hurt when they use them, they hurt when they use them. I'm practically climbing up the back of the chair. When we moved to our current town I asked around about dentists, got a recommendation, and tried the new dentist. And the hygienist insisted on using the ultrasonic tools. So I didn't go back. Tried another dentist, this time the hygienist was more sympathetic (and a little more old school) and was willing to simply use a pick and scraper. So that's where I go to the dentist.

So, my advice would be to shop around. Not every dentist will have the same policy. And, while this may just be my bias/experience, I find that older dentists/doctors in independent practices are much more willing to work with you on your idiosyncrasies, while the younger practitioners in corporate practices tend more towards, "My way or the highway."  YMMV

i think the best dentist i had was an old military dentist, retired from the service and in private practice. that guy removed a wisdom tooth in under 10 seconds and did it for $200 cash on the barrel. the guy i go to now is a bit happy with the anesthetic and you are numb for the rest of the day, hes not as fast but you are too doped up to care or even notice. 

[tater]

I would suggest talking to your dentist about your concerns.

My kids dentist always asks if I want x-rays or not, it's clearly not obligatory to say yes.

[munlander1]

On 8/5/2021 at 4:38 PM, Nuke said:

the dentist would get their dental mirror out and actually look at what was wrong with just the mk1 eyeball.

For things like cavities just simply looking at the tooth is enough.  Obviously with x-rays you can see through the gums and such but I’m not a dentist so I can’t say how much it’s worth.

On 8/8/2021 at 10:52 AM, tater said:

My kids dentist always asks if I want x-rays or not, it's clearly not obligatory to say yes.

That’s been my experience as well.

[DDE]

I've dealt with both government and private dentists. They only order an x-ray if they're looking for any internal problems; by default they orefer a hands-on approach. This includes the standard check-up, though.

And that's with me getting the annual hygiene on my employer's policy.

[Nuke]

its different if you go in on an emergency visit, like if you have a toothache and want it fixed that day. in that case they usually want to see whats going on immediately. going in for a regular checkup is generally a more laid back approach. 

[DeadJohn]

I avoid dental x-rays by asking if they see a problem that requires an x-ray. When they respond that my teeth seem okay but x-rays are routine, I then ask them for the radiation dose, and how the increased cancer risk compares to the risk of an undetected cavity. They give up and skip the x-ray.

Granted, I have good teeth and brush well, so I don't have to have that discussion often. I've only been in for 3 cleanings in 30 years and each time the dentist can't believe that it's been 10 years since my last cleaning.

Dental x-rays are overused for multiple, complex reasons:

1. Education. Dentists may be trained to always take x-rays without understanding why.
2. "Evidence" x-rays are good. Dentists are human and vulnerable to selective memory. They can remember the few times when x-rays found something, and forget all the times x-rays didn't help the patient. If a patient develops cancer years later, perhaps because of the x-rays, the dentist is likely out of that treatment loop so never questions doing x-rays.
3. Profit. Dentists who are part of large corporate practices might have to follow a policy of taking x-rays. Dentists in smaller practices who don't overuse x-rays make less money, and then they are more likely to go out of business. In other words, "successful" dentists overuse x-rays.
4. Insurance bureaucracy. If a dentist wants to take extra time to visually examine your teeth, insurance won't reimburse for that extra time, but will pay for x-rays.

Here's a relevant article. It mentions x-rays as well as other medical tests. "Do doctors understand test results?" https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28166019

[DDE]

On 9/7/2021 at 12:39 AM, DeadJohn said:

"Evidence" x-rays are good. Dentists are human and vulnerable to selective memory. They can remember the few times when x-rays found something, and forget all the times x-rays didn't help the patient. If a patient develops cancer years later, perhaps because of the x-rays, the dentist is likely out of that treatment loop so never questions doing x-rays.

I'd reword this as a bias towards the few cases where x-rays uncover a problem over the majority of cases where they don't. A typical human glitch.

[tater]

Modern machines are digital, and use less radiation that the x-ray machines when I was a kid getting bitewings routinely.

Like anything else, there is risk/reward, but it should not require getting x-rays terribly often. Also, they can send the x-ray to another dental specialty, no need to redo them. So the orthodontist will need a pano (they need to see the teeth coming in), and the regular dentist can use the same pano.

Anyway, doesn't seem concerning to me, and it's never required, they always ask in my experience.

Spoiler

A friend of mine is a prosthedontist. He's older than me—a true baby boomer, he was born 3 years after his dad came back from driving B-24s over Germany—and he said in dental school some of the guys used the x-ray machine that looks like a desk lamp:

In a very non-dental way... he said some idiots figured (thought, really, I don't think they did any research they could bump off their... um... little swimmers with some x-ray blasts on a Friday getting ready for a little party time on the weekend. Not sure how many ended up needing a urology consult.

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by tater

[GuessingEveryDay]

Yes, he actually did. Ripped an old x-ray bulb and then built a "shield" around it, so the background didn't dilute the results.

[houaria]

I suppose not. This is part of working on the health of your teeth. For a long time, people have been replacing fallen teeth with new ones, but they have never cared about new teeth performing their functions during chewing or somehow improving a person's appearance.

[Ryaja]

On 8/4/2021 at 4:57 PM, Spacescifi said:

 

 

I know KSP forums is global, so this may not help, but it is worth a try. Here in the USA even if you already had an X-ray 8 months ago or less from the previous year they will often (the dentists and crew) say they will NOT treat you for general cleaning UNLESS you agree to another X-ray.

I have a serious problem with this because: https://news.cancerconnect.com/brain-cancer/dental-x-rays-linked-to-common-brain-tumor

I have asked why get an X-ray to a dental worker once, and he said we won't know how to treat you without seeing your teeth. Seemed reasonable enough. But I really do not think it is necessary for within a year or less of time to get more X-rays unless teeth are just that messed up and one has bad symptoms to boot.

 

I have heard rumors that dentists order more X-rays than they need to, although I am not sure why.

 

Silly reason: X-ray pictures are cool! We collect them.

More likely reason to me: There is some profit motive. Perhaps they use their X-ray machine enough some profit incentive or qualification is reached that helps the company or dental office in some way that average people do not and should not know, as it would mean dentists are responsible for radiaating patients more than necessary in behalf of the 'almighty profit'.

 

Any ideas on this, or suggestions on how I can STILL get general dentistry cleaning care without X-rays? I have my last X-ray pics from over six months ago. I had hoped I could use those for reference.

 

You would need a lot of x-rays to get brain cancer from it, they only do a quick snapshot with the x-rays except the big one that circles you that does a longer shot but it shouldn't cause problems. I would ask your dentist about it not the internet(because if you are alive the internet will say you might have cancer)

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Ryaja