Dental x-rays are often a common part of going in for family dentistry services. Most of the time, examinations and dental cleanings include x-rays, but patients are always at liberty to say no to it. However, if you've been or are considering skipping your child's dental x-rays, you might want to think twice about it. Here are three good reasons why you should say yes.

Miniscule Radiation

One possible reason why parents say no to x-rays is because they're concerned about radiation. It's an understandable reason to be concerned; radiation, in excess quantities, can potentially be dangerous. However, dental x-rays are such a tiny source of radiation that it's extraordinarily unlikely that anything negative will come from them.

One thing to remember here is that radiation is everywhere. Various substances on the planet produce it, it comes from the sun, and even common household electronics can emit radiation. This normal quantity of radiation isn't particularly dangerous. So it may please you to learn that standard dental x-rays produce about the same amount of radiation as you'd normally be exposed to during the course of a single day. Since dental x-rays are typically only performed once a year, this means that no harm will come from them.

Finds Problems Before They Surface

Dental x-rays can help to detect things like cavities on the inside of teeth, but they do much more than that. They can also indicate that problems are brewing beneath the surface of your child's gums.

When children are growing new teeth, lots of things can go wrong. Teeth can come in pointing in the wrong direction or push neighboring teeth out of the way, or more than one tooth can sprout from the same location. These issues can often go completely unnoticed until they're causing pain, but not if you get dental x-rays. Your dentist will be able to see these issues and develop a treatment before it gets to that point.

Detects Wisdom Teeth

Finally, dental x-rays can help your dentist to spot wisdom teeth growing while they're still tiny. Wisdom teeth can be extracted at any age, but it's easiest before they develop full roots in the mouth. This makes them easier to remove, reduces the risk of complication, and will help recovery to be a quicker and more comfortable process for your child. While most children won't get their wisdom teeth until their teens, getting an annual dental x-ray will ensure that once they start to develop, you'll be able to get them taken care of quickly.