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Lewis

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Please don't do this to us.


Brain tumors linked to dental X-rays



A study published this week in the journal Cancer shows that people who have had dental X-rays are more likely to develop a type of brain tumor called meningioma than those who have not.
This does not prove that dental X-rays cause tumors. But it supports previous research about the connection. Dental X-rays have also been implicated in thyroid cancer. But there's still significant doubt about the existence of any direct relationship between meningioma and dental X-rays, and dental professionals were quick to call for more research, saying the study was less than perfect.


"It’s a cautionary tale ... we do know that radiation can cause tumors, and we have to be judicious with its use," said Dr. Donald O’Rourke, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the study.
Meningiomas are the most frequently occurring tumor in the head. They are located in the meninges, the tissues covering the brain. The vast majority are "benign" - or noncancerous - but, depending on their location, could cause blindness or other serious neurological damage. Those in the skull base are more difficult to remove in their entirety. Depending on the tumor, surgery may not be required.


Dr. Elizabeth Brooks Claus, director of medical research at Yale University's School of Public Health, led the Cancer study, which focused on patients whose tumors required surgery. The patients were mostly Caucasian because of the regions from which they came; Claus' group plans a follow-up looking at more African Americans, who have a statistically increased risk for meningiomas.
The average age of the 1,433 patient participants was 57, which means their exposures to dental X-rays were likely of a higher radiation doses because of older technology, Claus said. But they ranged between 20 and 79 years old, and came from select parts of the United States. Researchers also looked at data from 1,350 people with similar characteristics who had never had a meningioma.


The meningioma patients had more than a two-fold increased likelihood of having ever experienced a dental X-ray test called a bitewing exam. Depending on the age at which the exams were done, those who'd had these exams on a yearly basis, or more often, were 1.4 to 1.9 times more likely to have had a meningioma.
Four of these X-rays is about the same amount of radiation you're exposed to in a typical day: .005 .millisieverts, according to the American College of Radiology.
Panorex exams, which involve images of all of the teeth on one film, were also linked to meningioma risks. If study participants had panorex exams when they were younger than 10 years old, their risk of meningioma went up 4.9 times. One of these around-the-head X-rays carries about twice as much radiation as four bitewing X-rays.


"My impression is that people get more dental X-rays more frequently than the American Dental Association says," Claus said.
For an adult without cavities and no increased risk for cavities, who is not new to his or her dentist, x-rays are recommended every two to three years. For a child without cavities who's not at increased risk, the interval is every one to two years, according to this chart from the Food and Drug Administration.



There's currently a low threshold for dentists to order dental X-rays, says Dr. Keith Black, director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study. Even if X-rays are not necessary for a procedure, dentists often request them as part an annual exam. Black hopes dentists will pay attention to this research linking the X-rays to brain tumors.


There are important uses for dental X-rays in making decisions regarding certain procedures. But if the teeth are otherwise healthy, Black recommends against the radiation.
There is a latency period - a lag time - of about 20 to 25 years with meningiomas induced by radiation, O'Rourke said. Only about 1% to 5% of meningiomas are cancerous, but in people with known increased radiation exposure, that risk can go up, he said.
But Dr. Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, which publishes the journal Cancer, points out that the study relied upon individuals' memories of how many dental X-rays they'd had, including in childhood, so there is room for error in that regard. And, again, it does not prove that X-rays directly cause tumors.


There are, however, estimates that up to 1% of all cancers in the United States are due to medical radiation, Brawley said.
In response to the study announcement, the American Dental Association also mentioned the study's reliance on individuals' memories.
"Studies have shown that the ability to recall information is often imperfect," said a written statement from the ADA. "Therefore, the results of studies that use this design can be unreliable ..."


The ADA also pointed out that the study included people who received dental x-rays decades ago from older technology that exposed them to more radiation. "The ADA encourages further research in the interest of patient safety," said the statement.
If you've already been getting annual dental X-rays, there's nothing you can do to mitigate whatever risk you already have. But Black said this research is important to keep in mind when making decisions in the future, and for children.
CNN
 
I refuse dental xrays most of the time.

First, they NEVER show anything wrong!
Second, they cost MONEY and since I have pressing needs that are more fun to spend on....
Third, X-Rays are dangerous, no one argues that point.


X-Rays are a valuable diagnostic tool. But I believe many diagnostic tools are over used, and this is an example of such.
So, anyone wanna tell my why autism has EXPLODED in the past 25 years? (Not blaming dental X-rays...)
 
Any radiation exposure carries risks, and I agree with Pizzaguy on this: great diagnostic tool, but overused. As a matter of fact, a lot of our medical insurances skyrocket in part due to expensive testing and procedures which only give us some info as to what's going on --- as most people here know me by now, I doubt virtually all medications can cure anything anyway (nutritional approach works betters usually). So, the question becomes "What test should I give so that I know what drug to give?" That's what it amounts to.

This past xmas I got sudden facial paralysis on one side while working. I was wondering why I could not drink a glass of milk without drooling like a baby. :lol
I looked in the mirror and said to myself "I bet I have Bell's Palsy" but I decided to have it checked out. I was more afraid of running up medical bills with tests costing tens of thousands of dollars. As most us know, today's "fad" illnesses are heart disease, and related to that is stroke, cancer, and overweight type 2 diabetes. Before most doctors suspect anything else, the seem to "automatically assume" that's the problem with people. I was so afraid they'd say I had a stroke and then comes the MRI's and CAT scans and other stuff keeping me in the hospital overnight.

Well, when I got there, I explained my symptoms and hinted to the doctor that I had harmless Bell's Palsy. When he saw I knew what I was talking about, he agreed and I went home with just some medication for the swelling. As much as I hate taking pills, temporary medicine is OK as that is not preventative, but "trauma" medicine the same manner as for example, an injury. AKA an "expensive aspirin" (I joked) as keeping nerve swelling down is indeed important so that more nerve damage is not done from pressure. I prescribed to myself massive doses of vitamin B12 and other B-complex and today I'm probably 95% back to normal most within about 8 weeks.

Thankfully, I escaped loads and loads of tests and an expensive hospital stay taking my stance. The insurance company ought to thank people like me helping to keep costs down.
 
oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, but Tim, most people just want to go to the doctor and expect him/her to "fix it".

They have no intent of educating themselves or doing ANYTHING to help themselves. They honestly, it seems, believe that medical conditions are caused by a lack of a certain drug in their system! :)

I exercise at least 40 minutes every day, I take some supplements, and I do not smoke and drink booze only twice a year (except for the glass of wine a few times a week). Your health is YOUR job, YOUR concern, not your doctor's.

Oh, sure, as we age we need help from time to time. And some of us have conditions that complicate matters. But overall, it's up to you and me.
 
oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, but Tim, most people just want to go to the doctor and expect him/her to "fix it".

They have no intent of educating themselves or doing ANYTHING to help themselves. They honestly, it seems, believe that medical conditions are caused by a lack of a certain drug in their system! :)

I exercise at least 40 minutes every day, I take some supplements, and I do not smoke and drink booze only twice a year (except for the glass of wine a few times a week). Your health is YOUR job, YOUR concern, not your doctor's.

Oh, sure, as we age we need help from time to time. And some of us have conditions that complicate matters. But overall, it's up to you and me.

:thumbsup

Couldn't have said it better myself. I get so weary when the rest think we are too stupid to help ourselves and we have to be told what to do (or to take).
 
But without x-rays millions would be dead. Plus the rads are not that high when you get an x-ray.
 
I don't disagree, Lewis. The X-ray, given once in a while, has saved people from surgery (which can open someone to post-operative conditions that can cause death).

Xrays are not BAD, but I still think the dental profession overuses them.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I've been having xrays for over 45 years, every other dental cleaning (that means I get xrays once a year) and how many times have the xrays showed ANYTHING wrong?

NONE. Not once. Even the time I returned to the dentist in less than a month and he had to do a filling for a cavity that the xray missed. He told me that "...xrays are a tool, but they don't show everything..."


Actually, I have not had xrays in 3 or 4 years... I simply refuse them.
 
I remember them talking about that study last week on the news. A lot of people found fault with it because it doesn't take into account the frequency of x-rays. In the 80s and early 90s a lot of dentists took x rays every visit. In recent years this has scaled back a lot. I have not had x rays of my teeth in a good few years. Probably need them next trip on the count that I got my wisdom teeth in now, but then I won't need them for a good long time again.
 
Dental X-Rays


Dental X-rays are pictures of the teeth, bones, and soft tissues around them to help find problems with the teeth, mouth, and jaw. X-ray pictures can show cavities, hidden dental structures (such as wisdom teeth), and bone loss that cannot be seen during a visual examination. Dental X-rays may also be done as follow-up after dental treatments.
The following types of dental X-rays are commonly used. The X-rays use small amounts of radiation.

  • Bitewing X-rays show the upper and lower back teeth and how the teeth touch each other in a single view. These X-rays are used to check for decay between the teeth and to show how well the upper and lower teeth line up. They also show bone loss when severe gum disease or a dental infection is present.
  • Periapical X-rays show the entire tooth, from the exposed crown to the end of the root and the bones that support the tooth. These X-rays are used to find dental problems below the gum line or in the jaw, such as impacted teeth, abscesses, cysts, tumors, and bone changes linked to some diseases.
  • Occlusal X-rays show the roof or floor of the mouth and are used to find extra teeth, teeth that have not yet broken through the gums, jaw fractures, a cleft in the roof of the mouth (cleft palate), cysts, abscesses, or growths. Occlusal X-rays may also be used to find a foreign object.
  • Panoramic X-rays show a broad view of the jaws, teeth, sinuses, nasal area, and temporomandibular (jaw) joints. These X-rays do not find cavities. These X-rays do show problems such as impacted teeth, bone abnormalities, cysts, solid growths (tumors), infections, and fractures.
  • Digital X-ray is a new method being used in some dental offices. A small sensor unit sends pictures to a computer to be recorded and saved.
A full-mouth series of periapical X-rays (about 14 to 21 X-ray films) is most often done during a person's first visit to the dentist. Bitewing X-rays are used during checkups to look for tooth decay. Panoramic X-rays may be used occasionally. Dental X-rays are scheduled when you need them based on your age, risk for disease, and signs of disease.
Why It Is Done

Dental X-rays are done to:

  • Find problems in the mouth such as tooth decay, damage to the bones supporting the teeth, and dental injuries (such as broken tooth roots). Dental X-rays are often done to find these problems early, before any symptoms are present.
  • Find teeth that are not in the right place or do not break through the gum properly. Teeth that are too crowded to break through the gums are called impacted.
  • Find cysts, solid growths (tumors), or abscesses.
  • Check for the location of permanent teeth growing in the jaw in children who still have their primary (or baby) teeth.
  • Plan treatment for large or extensive cavities, root canal surgery, placement of dental implants, and difficult tooth removals.
  • Plan treatment of teeth that are not lined up straight (orthodontic treatment).
Without X-rays, dentists may miss the early stages of decay between teeth.
 
I use cyano which I understand does not absorb as well, but then again I use them sublingually. Due to monetary concerns, that's why I use more-or-less common vitamins, like Puritan's Pride. However, I realize not all is absorbed which is why I tend to megadose not because I think I need all that, but to "latch onto what my body will take". Like any processed food, only a fraction is actually healthy, and I treat vitamins the same way --- anything man-made, no matter how good it claims to be, I found never to be as good as in nature. And there's not much nature any longer. That's why I scoff at doctors who say "get a well-balanced diet". Certainly not in today's grocery stores, and maybe not even in all the healthfood stores, either. Too much processing going on. My philosophy is not to eliminate all junk (although cutting back is helpful). My philosophy is to load up on all the nutrients the body needs and it will take care of itself. It is a wonderful filtering machine and knows how to dispose of junk. At least mine does eliminate very well. :lol
 
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I am glad that you know it doesn't absorb as well as Methylcobalamin, but do you know why? Because the cobalamin NEEDS methyl to be absorbed. When you take the cyano you only rob the little methyl that is in your body and the only primary source for methyl is fungus and bacteria. Not only that, but specific strands, strands that you won't be eating any time soon. So any methyl in your body is almost by accident.

Some research goes as far as saying cyano actually inhibits the uptake of cobalamin.

As for costs, i have 90 tablets of 1000mCg sublinguals for $12 at a local whole foods grociery store called The Turnip Truck.
 
I am glad that you know it doesn't absorb as well as Methylcobalamin, but do you know why? Because the cobalamin NEEDS methyl to be absorbed. When you take the cyano you only rob the little methyl that is in your body and the only primary source for methyl is fungus and bacteria. Not only that, but specific strands, strands that you won't be eating any time soon. So any methyl in your body is almost by accident.

Some research goes as far as saying cyano actually inhibits the uptake of cobalamin.

As for costs, i have 90 tablets of 1000mCg sublinguals for $12 at a local whole foods grociery store called The Turnip Truck.

Yeah, thanks. I'll look into that cost more closely, as that's not bad at all.
 
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