Re: Dental X-Rays Might Lead to Small Babies

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

Here is a link to an article regarding potential health effects on both 

fetus and mother from visiting a dentist while pregnant: 

http://pregnancytoday.com/reference/articles/pregdental.htm .  It states 

that:



"The amount of radiation received from a set of 21 dental radiographs is 

approximately 3 millirems. What the heck is a millirem? Three millirems 

are equivalent to about 4 days of exposure to radiation received 

naturally from the environment (i.e. sun). A study done in 1983 from the 

Nationwide Evaluation of X-ray Trends Tabulations states that the 

probability of congenital anomalies and childhood malignancies from this 

amount of radiation is practically nonexistent. The double lead shield 

with a thyroid protector will reduce exposure even more."



A question I have is whether radiation exposure has ever been shown to 

cause low-birthweight babies?  Surely there are studies out there that 

look at the effects of higher levels of exposure.



In a Google search on studies of pregnant dental assistants, mercury 

vapor from amalgams didn't have an adverse effect on fetal development 

(in fact, dental assistants didn't have babies with problems--including 

low birthrate--at a rate any different from the general population).  

However, a patient may also be exposed to a variety of other substances 

during dental work, including anesthetics, antibiotics, and fluoride 

treatments.  I'd like to know if the JAMA study controlled for exposure 

to these, especially in the first trimester..



Susan Gawarecki



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