Is it possible to get a teeth cleaning without xray's? (gumline, abscess)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you can find a dentist to go along with your whims then more power to you. Unfortunately, medicine does not work like a salad bar where you pick and choose what you want. The doctor gives you options/recommendations and it's your choice to accept them or go find someone else who likes a circus.
M.D. does not stand for "medical deity." If people are content to not be interested in their own care, so be it.
Medicine has come a long way, and any doctor or dentist worth his salt should know the difference between routine and diagnostic x-rays, and that people should get no more x-rays than necessary. This isn't 1940.
If dentists want to make up for the today's paucity of dental caries by continuing to push unnecessary x-rays with its radiation exposure, they can find another sucker.
M.D. does not stand for "medical deity." If people are content to not be interested in their own care, so be it.
Medicine has come a long way, and any doctor or dentist worth his salt should know the difference between routine and diagnostic x-rays, and that people should get no more x-rays than necessary. This isn't 1940.
If dentists want to make up for the today's paucity of dental caries by continuing to push unnecessary x-rays with its radiation exposure, they can find another sucker.
It's short-sighted to think it's all about money. There are risks involved to the doctor for not properly diagnosing. A doctor in a malpractice study was quoted saying, "I will radiate people until they glow in order to avoid being sued." I don't blame him.
Xrays are not that important for performing teeth cleaning. But generally dentist suggest that to gather all the information about your mouth so that can perform cleaning any problem.
It's short-sighted to think it's all about money. There are risks involved to the doctor for not properly diagnosing. A doctor in a malpractice study was quoted saying, "I will radiate people until they glow in order to avoid being sued." I don't blame him.
"Radiating people until they glow?" That pretty much says it all.
Again, there's a difference between diagnostic x-rays and routine x-rays; it would be in everyone's best interest to educate themselves about it and at least take that minimal amount of interest in their medical care.
My dentist 'recommends' x-rays every year but I sign a waiver and get x-rays about every 4-5 years. I agree that every year is crazy unless you are having pain or issues.
I think xrays are unnecessary for a simple cleaning and a waste of money. Plus I have a thyroid problem which I believe could have been caused by all the xrays given to me as a child without the shield. (I had lots of dental work over the years.) In any case, with determination (I have moved quite a bit over the years -I am 63), I have found dentists who will do a cleaning without xrays - it just takes a while to find one in each place I have lived.
There is a reason they do x-rays and that is to check for cavities, dead nerves, or infection. Cleaning your teeth alone does not give the dentist the answers to these problems. I think I would be concerned how thorough he was by only doing a cleaning and not really making sure there isn't something else that you did not know about.
My dentist 'recommends' x-rays every year but I sign a waiver and get x-rays about every 4-5 years. I agree that every year is crazy unless you are having pain or issues.
The irony is that you think this dentist is doing you a favor, when he is not. If anything, he is doing himself a favor by letting small (inexpensive) problems grow into bigger (more expensive) problems. He is making an investment in the fact that you will come back to him when things blow up.....because he is on your side, right?
Does anyone know a place where one can get just a teeth cleaning without xray's? I live in the Phoenix area (Sedona) and willing to travel to get this done. The places I have called so far say that "xrays are required by state law" but that is not true. Sounds official but definitely not true. Perhaps there is a school or a group of oral hygienists somewhere nearby? Any suggestions? Thanks!
I've run into this problem often. If X-rays weren't dangerous they wouldn't go stand in another room while they are being performed. I've had about 42 years worth of x-rays and I recall one time, as a kid, that something was found on an x-ray. That's it. They expose us to all this possible exposure for a 1 in 42 chance of finding something?
What I do is just go to the dentist and while sitting in the chair tell them that I can't afford Xrays or don't want them. I get the usual push-back. My favorite is: "Well, we'll check with Dr to make sure this is permissible." Permissible? I'm the patient and I'm a free person. You can't force me down and make me take them. What if it's not "permissible?" You are going to have me get up and leave? Not hardly. It has never happened.
Don't ask permission. Ask forgiveness once you are there. Just refuse the x-rays on-site. They will make you feel like an idiot, say things like "insurance will cover it." Just stand firm and politely refuse.
No other doctor I go to takes Xrays of things that don't hurt to see if there is something wrong. No mechanic waves equipment all over my car just to see if anything is wrong. People on here may say that these are a must but it's just silly.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
