Question About X-Rays

Two years ago, when I had my problems (volvulus followed by small bowel obstruction followed by pneumonia followed by prolapse followed by ileo reversal), I had something like 6 CT scans and a dozen x-rays. I have an appointment with a new dentist tomorrow morning and I'm sure, just like my former dentist, he's going to want to take x-rays. I left my former dentist (literally) when he insisted I have the x-rays and I simply thought I had been exposed to enough radiation for quite some time. Anybody have any thoughts on whether the level of CT scans and x-rays I've had in 24 months should cause me to tell this new guy that I want to delay the x-rays again?

Thanks Delarge

I've had to have so many CT scans and so on that I Feel like I glow in the dark. Had I not gone the road I went, I think I would be more concerned, but I just let the dentist go at it. IT also may depend on how old we all are. LIke a child getting all those rads not so good, but I think when we are older we may not be as sensitive OR else if all this catches up with us we might be very old by the time we got anything from the radiation. Just guess as I am not an MD. Good luck and I do see your concern. And it is your right as the patient to accept or reject any proposed procedure (xrays) or treatments. The dentists just do this routinely so that they can see if we are developing any cavities or other issues. Rosemary

I just looked it up and an average abdominal CT is 10 mSV. Said background is 5 mSV/year..... interesting because at the hospital they told me that one CT was equivalent to a year's worth of background radiation, but this would indicate two years. In any case, if these numbers are right (not positive they are, just a casual google search) it looks like you could get over 60 sets of dental pics and it'd still be less than one CT.

So worry about the CTs, not dental x rays..... of course, usually in our cases, we have no choice there...