My dentist keeps suggesting x-rays every single year, but honestly, it feels a bit excessive to me. I mean, my teeth feel fine, no pain or anything. I get that x-rays catch stuff early, but is yearly really necessary for everyone? Kinda worried about radiation exposure too, even if it's small. Curious what others have been told by their dentists or if anyone has looked into this more...
I've wondered about this myself and actually asked my dentist last year because I had the same concerns. She explained it depends on your dental history and overall risk factors. Like, if you've had cavities or fillings in the past, they're more cautious and tend to recommend yearly x-rays to catch things early. But if your teeth have been consistently healthy, every 18-24 months might be fine. Personally, I went from yearly to every two years after discussing it with her—felt like a reasonable compromise to me.
That's actually really reassuring to hear because I've been stressing about my first dental visit coming up. I've never had cavities or fillings (knock on wood...) but was worried they'd push for more frequent x-rays anyway. Hearing your dentist was open to spacing them out a bit makes me feel better about bringing it up. Guess it's all about finding a dentist who's willing to talk things through and not just sticking with a one-size-fits-all approach. Thanks for sharing your experience—it helped ease my nerves a bit.
Glad you're feeling a bit better about it! Honestly, dentists usually recommend x-rays based on your personal risk factors—like your dental history, age, and overall oral health. Since you've never had cavities or fillings, you're probably considered lower risk, so spacing out x-rays could make sense. Definitely worth bringing up at your appointment... most dentists appreciate patients who ask questions and want to understand their care. Good luck with your visit, I'm sure it'll go smoother than you think.
Definitely worth bringing up at your appointment... most dentists appreciate patients who ask questions and want to understand their care.
Yeah, yearly x-rays might be standard for some dentists, but definitely not a one-size-fits-all thing. My dentist explained that if you're low-risk—no cavities, good hygiene, stable dental history—you can safely stretch it to every 18-24 months. Radiation exposure is minimal, but still worth considering. I personally go every two years now and haven't had any issues. Sounds like you're already on the right track by questioning it and planning to discuss with your dentist.
