Delta Dental of Iowa - New Guidelines Suggest Less Frequent Dental X-rays

January 6, 2009

07/05/05 - New Guidelines Suggest Less Frequent Dental X-rays

ANKENY, Iowa - July 5, 2005 - Many people are used to getting dental X-rays as part of a regular checkup at their dentist's office. However, recently updated guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicate that many patients may not need dental X-rays as often as they might expect.

"Not all dental patients need dental X-rays on an annual basis," said Dr. Ed Schooley, Vice President and Dental Director, Delta Dental of Iowa. "It seems that many patients expect their dentists to perform dental X-rays every year, but the ADA recommends that X-rays be performed only when required by the oral health history and physical symptoms of the patient - not necessarily on a fixed, annual schedule."

The American Dental Association recently updated its guidelines for dentists to use when deciding whether or not to perform dental X-rays. Under these guidelines, adolescents with permanent teeth who are not at increased risk for tooth decay should receive dental X-rays every 18 to 36 months, and adults not at increased risk for tooth decay should receive dental X-rays only every 24 to 36 months.

"Patients at higher risk for tooth decay should receive dental X-rays more often," Dr. Schooley said. "But most patients, who are not at higher risk, do not need to receive dental X-rays any more often than the recommended time intervals."

Some of the factors that put people at higher risk for tooth decay and require more frequent dental X-rays include: a history of cavities, inadequate fluoride, eating disorders, a high-sugar diet, genetic abnormality of teeth, drug or alcohol abuse, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and a lack of regular dental care.

Dr. Schooley said that with recent improvements in oral health, the general population does not need dental X-rays as often as they used to. "When the Baby Boom generation was growing up, few people had dental benefits, few cities put fluoride in the drinking water, and there was greater prevalence of tooth decay," he said. "America has made dramatic improvements in oral health in recent years. It has become much more common for cities to put fluoride in the drinking water, and better overall awareness of oral hygiene and more widespread dental benefits have helped reduce the rate of tooth decay. Dental X-ray guidelines have changed as the overall oral health of Americans has improved, and the ADA has adjusted these guidelines to better reflect current needs."

Dr. Schooley also noted that unnecessary dental X-rays could lead to higher costs of dental care and higher dental benefit coverage premiums. He recommended that patients talk with their dentists to make sure that they receive dental X-rays on an appropriate schedule for their oral health needs.

Delta Dental of Iowa is the largest and most experienced provider of dental benefits in the state. The Iowa plan is a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association, a national organization of not-for-profit Delta Dental member companies. The national association is the largest dental benefits carrier in the nation, providing coverage to more than 45 million people in nearly 76,000 employer groups.