Thyroid Disease and Dental X-Rays

Has anyone read anything about thyroid problems--more specifically, thyroid cancer--and dental x-rays, especially for people who had not only the routine x-rays done every 2 - 3 years, but also had additional x-rays taken for things like braces, implants, etc.? I'm wondering if there's any correlation. Can anyone on here comment about their current (or past) thyroid problems, particularly if you were exposed to more radiation than the average person as a result of these dental images being taken over the years?

[Linda1068]

About the radiation.  I had a nodule and from what I read,  too much exposure to radiation in childhood could cause nodules. I don't know specifically about thyroid cancer.  When I was 7 I had broken my hip. I had a cyst and on one of my occassional falls, it broke. I was in the hospital for 2 months, and I'm almost sure that I had xrays about every other day. I'm talking from head to toe and this was back in 1976. Don't know if there has been improvement since then with radiation exposure.  I have also had dental xrays and a couple of chest xrays done. Do I think there's a connection, I honestly can't say yes.  But, then can I say 100% no.  ???

[898]

The dental x-ray has narrow beam so it "ionizes" only the tissue on its path;
professional exposure to the x-ray machines is not necessary causing the cancer, large doses affect the bone marrow at most cases. The story is different if we are talking about the radioactive contamination, if someone drinks milk that was obtained from cow that ate grass contaminated by large dose of I-127 short lived isotope.
If the person who drinks such milk, accumulates the high iodine dose, in the future he may develop thyroid cancer.

[alton1]

With conventional x-rays the amount of exposure from approximatly 16-20 x-rays is equal to about the same exposure one would have with a day in the sun.Todays digital x-rays cut that exposure by 60-90 %.The benefit of regular x-rays far outweighs the disadvantages,especially if you dentist uses a lead appron.

[Jules77733]

Thanks, that's good to know! After doing some more reading on the topic I was shocked to learn that CT scans are 600 - 800x worse than a regular x-ray. X-rays definitely aren't the culprit of any of my health problems since my siblings had them just as often as I did and they're fine.

[zzzippp]

To respect to your comment, "With conventional x-rays the amount of exposure from approximatly 16-20 x-rays is equal to about the same exposure one would have with a day in the sun", I must respond that I have heard this stuff before by doctors and dentists when I refuse to take xrays. I don't think most doctors or dentists are researchers or understand the danger. I don respect their ability to treat me though. However, on this topic they are thoroughly incorrect. The dosage and danger of one xray focused on any specific tissue is far greater than that. And even if your quotation were correct, would YOU like to get the amount of UV rays in a day focused on one tissue for one second? THAT would destroy the tissue and bacterial infection would readily set in. While there are sometimes benefits to the lowest dose xray, the risks are real! very real when you get cancer! I do believe we are seeing the reversal of this antiquated and harmful method of diagnosis in the coming decade and it will fade away. In the meantime, I would really think twice before getting even the lowest dose xray.