I went to the dentist yesterday, and he straight away tried to get me to have an x-ray. I instinctively said no, then he tried to persuade me to get one, saying there's no risk, and he wouldn't be able to properly check my teeth without it. So I got more stubborn (lol) and said no again. Then he looked at my teeth, said he could see a 'shadow' on one, but he wouldn't be able to say for sure if there was decay without an x-ray. I have no pain at all in my teeth, and I look after them pretty well I think, make my own groovy natural toothpaste with coconut oil and clay and essential oils like clove etc, plus stuff like oil-swishing (which I swear by).

It made me re-think my relationship to dentists. I still go once or twice a year for a check up - even when I never would do that with my doctor - I trust my body to tell me if there's a problem - why don't I trust my teeth?

Then, very synchronistically, I got an email today saying that Fred Patenaude's dental e book is on sale, so I think I'm gonna buy that, always up for new info about teeth.

So - what do you think about x-rays at the dentist?

Every dentists will try to have a whole mouth xray when a new patient walks in. Some will do xrays very frequently as it does not cost them much once they have the equipment but it is a cumulative effect. Kids and pregnant women are much more sensitive. You have to watch out for the xrays that aim at your throat (it needs a special throat cover). I think the thyroid and the pituitary glands are the ones that absorb the most xray radiation and the ones that cause cancer easier.

I have them done annually and haven't noticed any problems after a couple of decades. My dentist uses a full barrier blanket, so no part of my abdomen or throat is exposed. I know that some incipient caries I had in the past, in spite of rigorous dental hygiene, were not obvious without the x-rays, and I'm glad my dentist caught them in time. But it depends on one's own system's tolerance for this kind of thing. I still fly in planes if I have to, so I figure occasional dental x-rays aren't a big deal.

thanks for sharing guys xx