Is it safe for a pregnant dental assistant to take dental X-rays during her pregnancy?

Answer 1

The long answer has to do with the amount of potentially damaging radiation a fetus receives and varies widely depending on how many weeks pregnant one is and what type of x-ray you are getting (e.g. chest plain x-ray, abdominal CT scan, etc). The shorter answer is that for essentially all conventional medical radiologic diagnostic tests (including CT, MRI, plain xrays, ultrasound, and most common nuclear medicine diagnostic exams), the risk to a fetus is considered very, very, minimal and any tiny risk to the fetus is far outweighed by the medical benefit you likely receive from a medically necessary "x-ray." Remember, if the xray helps you get healthier, your fetus will be healthier.

Answer 2

If you were the person having the xrays taken, then the radioligist puts a lead cover over the reproduction organs. If you were the person taking the xrays check it out with the head of department.

Answer 3

It depends on the type of X-ray you need and exactly how much radiation you're going to be exposed to. The higher the level of radiation, the greater the risk is to your baby. Most X-rays, such as dental X-rays, will not expose your baby to high enough levels of radiation to cause a problem.

Answer 4

Your concern about your radiation exposure during pregnancy is appropriate and appreciated. However, there is little cause for worry. Dental workers are very unlikely to receive much of a measurable occupational dose. There is an occupational dose limit (50 mSv per year-mSv is millisievert and is a unit of radiation dose) but I can share that at my organization, we have not had a dental assistant receive even 1/100th of that (0.5 mSv) and we do many hundreds of dental x rays each year. Most of our dental workers, in fact, receive no measurable radiation exposure on the job.

There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the beam of radiation is coned to the exact spot that needs to be x rayed. So the only thing in the primary x-ray beam is the tooth or teeth of interest. Second, the fact that the beam is so coned down results in very little scatter radiation. In fact, because there is so little scatter radiation, the walls in a dental office generally do not need to have lead shielding in them.

The answer to your question about the 0.3 mm lead-equivalent apron is "yes." This amount of lead will stop 70-75 percent of the x rays in the primary beam and more of the scatter since those x rays have less energy.

Even if you were to be a patient and have some dental x rays done on you, there is no cause for concern for your baby. As well, the radiation exposure you receive in your occupation is too low, if there is any, to cause effects to your baby.

Kelly Classic

Answer 5

It is totally unsafe and very dangerous. Even if you intend to become pregnant, you should go on leave from menses only. X-rays are ionizing radiations are potentially dangerous and have high chances of Fetal abnormality. Fortunately most such Embryos are probably aborted during menses only and never noted by the lady.

Answer 6

This is very good question! X-rays must not be taken during the pregnancy. X-rays are very much harmful radiation for the fetus. There are other methods of imaging. Those should be used. X-rays are potentially teratogenic radiation. Teratogenic means you can have the abnormal baby. At times, the abdomen is covered with the metal sheet to protect the fetus and X-ray chest or of head is taken. In no case the fetus is exposed to the X-rays during first three months of the pregnancy.

Answer 7

That is could affect the baby's brain development, causing some sort of learning disability or it could kill the baby