The Tribune

By Dr Andre Clarke

A tumor is an abnormal growth of body tissue. It can be cancerous, noncancerous, precancerous or may have no cancerous potential at all. A brain tumor, in particular, is an abnormal growth of tissue inside the cranium or inside the central spinal canal. The cranium is a skull without the mandible (lower jaw bone).

I do hope that you enjoyed that pearl of anatomy. Are you still awake? I pray you are, and that the short course in pathology and anatomy was at worse, a little helpful. Anyway, let us now get to the meat of the matter.

A recent study published in a scientific journal of the American Cancer Society associates yearly and/or more frequently taken dental X-rays with an increase risk of developing meningiomas.

Meningiomas are a diverse group of tumors arising from the meninges, which are the membranous layers surrounding the central nervous system. At present, meningiomas are the most commonly diagnosed tumors in the United States of America.

The study showed that over a lifetime, patients with meningiomas were more than twice as likely as the control group (in the study), to report ever having a bitewing X-ray. It also showed that persons who had panorex dental X-rays yearly and/or had them frequently at ages less than 10 years old, had a nearly five times greater occurrence of meningioma.

These facts seem indisputable, but are they?

The American Dental Association (ADA) Division of Science has reviewed the notes of the study and there are some concerns. The Division noted some weaknesses in how the study was designed and how the results were interpreted. As a result, the ADA has not altered their long time suggestion that dentists should order dental X-rays after a clinical exam when necessary for diagnosis and treatment.

It is reasonable to presume that the Bahamas Dental Association (BDA) would take a similar stance, even though a formal press release has not been presented by them. The BDA takes the safety of the people of the Bahamas very seriously. The dentists of the Bahamas are expected to ensure at all times that the radiation exposure from a dental X-ray will be kept as low as is reasonably achievable.

In the aforementioned study, some of the concerns noted by the ADA Division of Science involved asking participants to recall if they had X-rays many years ago; how often they had X-rays and what were the types of X-rays taken. I think you would agree that it is not very scientific to depend on memory to get data, especially if individuals are trying to remember events before they were 10 years old or younger.

In many instances, more than three decades would have passed. Also, as another point, the amount of radiation a patient is exposed to nowadays when taking an X-ray, is greatly reduced from what it was many years ago. Dentistry now boasts that dental X-rays have radiation emission levels that are amongst the lowest levels of any medical test. The amount of radiation from a bitewing dental X-ray is the same as from an hour flying in an airplane.

It is the common practice in 2012, for dentists to use lead aprons to protect the body, including the thyroid region, whenever taking X-rays on patients. This gives additional protection against unwanted radiation emission. They also use faster speed X-ray films and digital imaging, in order to reduce the radiation exposure, even further.

The health of the patient is always paramount. In addition, dental X-rays can help the dentist find cavities between teeth; diagnose gum and bone disease; and even diagnose some types of tumors, cancerous or otherwise. X-rays often time, help diagnose a previously hidden problem at an early stage, thus preventing extensive and/or expensive dental treatment from being needed in the future. The pros of X-rays far exceed the cons.

Do not be swayed by random articles claiming random findings. If you come across information that concerns you, please ask your health care professional for their opinion. If you do not believe him, seek a second and third opinion, and then come to a conclusion. Keep informed. Keep your mouth alive.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended and may not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical/dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or dental professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical/dental condition. Never disregard professional medical/dental advice or delay in seeking it because of a purely informational publication.

If you have questions, please send email to dr_andreclarke@hotmail.com.