Is it possible to get a teeth cleaning without xray's? (vs, filling)
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I just had me teeth cleaned recently, they started with "we will be doing xrays today"
- la la I said no you will not. Then after 10 minutes of why I needed to have my mouth x-rayed I again said - No thanks. They gave finally gave me a form to sign that I was "opting out" of the xray. My mouth.. my choice! Just say no!
I just had me teeth cleaned recently, they started with "we will be doing xrays today"
- la la I said no you will not. Then after 10 minutes of why I needed to have my mouth x-rayed I again said - No thanks. They gave finally gave me a form to sign that I was "opting out" of the xray. My mouth.. my choice! Just say no!
Very similar to what happened to me in September. Usually I get my teeth cleaned every 6 months with xrays in February and then just cleaning in August. I also had a crown done which extended my dentist visits into May.
Originally, I scheduled my next cleaning for 6 months out - so in August. However I had a medical situation arise and had to re-schedule the cleaning. First available date was in September, 26 days after my 6-month "anniversary".
When I came in for the September cleaning, I was given the same "we will be doing xrays today" line because I hadn't been in for more than 6 months. Ummm . . . 26 days beyond 6 months (never mind that I was there in May with the crown)! Really??
I explained why I'd gone over by 26 days and that being 26 days "late" was not through negligence on my part. I refused xrays and signed off the opting out form. They were not pleased but just did the cleaning as I requested, after re-confirming several times that I didn't want xrays.
I've been stewing over this ever since. Is this some new policy in the dentistry industry? I'm seriously thinking of changing to another dentist over this if it's not an industry-wide practice.
Very similar to what happened to me in September. Usually I get my teeth cleaned every 6 months with xrays in February and then just cleaning in August. I also had a crown done which extended my dentist visits into May.
Originally, I scheduled my next cleaning for 6 months out - so in August. However I had a medical situation arise and had to re-schedule the cleaning. First available date was in September, 26 days after my 6-month "anniversary".
When I came in for the September cleaning, I was given the same "we will be doing xrays today" line because I hadn't been in for more than 6 months. Ummm . . . 26 days beyond 6 months (never mind that I was there in May with the crown)! Really?? Every patient is different. ADA guidelines for x-ray frequency are as often as every 6 months depending on the past dental or medical history of the patient. For example, a patient with crowns, fillings, or history of gum disease is at a higher risk for further dental problems, so therefore they should get x-rays more frequently than someone who has never had any of those problems.
Also, what does getting a crown have to do with your periodic x-rays? Just because the dentist may have taken a single x-ray of the tooth with the crown does not mean they were able to see what is going on with the rest of the teeth in your mouth. Having one x-ray of one single tooth for one procedure does not "count" as your annual/semi-annual x-rays.
I explained why I'd gone over by 26 days and that being 26 days "late" was not through negligence on my part. I refused xrays and signed off the opting out form. They were not pleased but just did the cleaning as I requested, after re-confirming several times that I didn't want xrays. I have said it here before, but that form you signed is not worth the paper it is printed on. Patient's can't consent to negligence. If you develop a mouth/jaw cancer that requires your jaw to be removed and the oncologist determines it could have been detected and earlier and your jaw saved, the dentist is screwed. "She didn't want x-rays even though she is due" will not hold up in court. The argument is that the patient doesn't know what they are signing when they sign that form. The dentist is the one who knows better, because they are a doctor and you are not. You certainly have a right to refuse x-rays. To that extent, the dentist also has a right to refuse to treat you if you will not allow them to formulate a proper diagnosis. Some dentists will let a patient slide on x-rays once or twice, but ultimately they will just boot you out of the practice and let you become someone else's headache. They are not willing to put their license on the line just because you don't want to pay for x-rays, have some unfounded fear of radiation from dental x-rays, or some other excuse. I'm sure lots of people on this forum have been fired by dentists for this very reason.
I've been stewing over this ever since. Is this some new policy in the dentistry industry? I'm seriously thinking of changing to another dentist over this if it's not an industry-wide practice. It's nothing new. Read the 2012 Guidelines here, particularly the table on page 5-6 https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Publ...2012.pdf?la=en
But I did have the xrays on my regular once a year schedule, 6 months + 26 days earlier. I only added the part about the crown to point out that I followed through on what was found at that visit.
I've been seeing this dentist for years and have always been on the same schedule. My teeth and gums are in great shape and every time I go in the hygienist and dentist thank me for taking such good care of them. I pay as I go and have no concerns about the cost.
At any rate, I've scheduled my regular 6 month checkup, cleaning and xrays for March, as per normal, and will carry on from there.
Perhaps what really bothered me was the seeming assumption by the office person that I'd been ignoring my teeth. When I said I'd had to reschedule 26 days late due to a medical issue, she rolled her eyes with a "yeah, right" attitude. She's new and maybe needs to work on her presentation. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had to reschedule a cleaning due to unforeseen circumstances.
I appreciate your input. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I'm just curious and I'm not addressing this to any one particular person but why is it that you don't want dental x-rays? Is it the cost or is it the scary "R" word? Because if it's radiation exposure you are worried about, 4 dental x-rays give you the same amount of radiation as you would receive during a 1-2 hour flight.
In my case, it's the xrays. I've had to have a lot, especially lately, and as I'm a cancer survivor as well as someone with genetic immune system deficiencies, I'm extra cautious. I may be overly protective of myself but that's who I am. Thanks for asking . . . I understand why you'd be curious.
Oh, and it's not any dental xrays, it's just the need for extra ones which seemed odd when I was less than a month overdue for a non-xray visit. The premise was that since I was slightly late for the 6 month cleaning/check-up that I essentially had to start over. I had no issues that were bothering me. If I'd been able to be there on the actual 6-month anniversary day, the xrays never would have come up.
The cost has never been an issue for me and I've always done whatever the dentist felt I needed to have done.
For me it's not the cost, but how for years it's just been taken for granted WE NEED to have xrays done with every cleaning. And I only went for cleanings ONCE A YEAR most of my life. Is there a Dental Law book patients NEED to follow. It's the radiation and I don't want to hear "how little it is"...
I'm just curious and I'm not addressing this to any one particular person but why is it that you don't want dental x-rays? Is it the cost or is it the scary "R" word? Because if it's radiation exposure you are worried about, 4 dental x-rays give you the same amount of radiation as you would receive during a 1-2 hour flight.
In my case, I hate the whole process. The technicians vary in their skill, some do it fast and easy. The last visit was torture. It was trial and error and error and error. I don't even know if she got a complete set. The dentist came in and examined my teeth, did nothing to show me the xray that took so long to take, and said I could use some repair to the filling in one molar. Well I have no trouble with it right now and I don't want to go through the whole Novocaine and drilling stuff when there is no problem. I will deal with it if and when it happens, when I have a tootache, I will take the chance. And yes, I do not want unnecessary, in my opinion, exposure to xray, no matter how minimal. I want none, not minimal exposure.
I apparently have some mild degeneration in my rotator cuff. My orthopedist says no need to do anything with it we will just watch it. I will go see him if I have a problem, like PAIN. I have more confidence in him when he works with me instead of all the time trying to fix something in my body.
I will be going in for a cleaning next week, no nothing with my filling. After that I will look for another dentist and ask for and take my xrays with me.
I have a question for the dentists.
Why do you insist on so many xrays?
Do they? My dentist does x-rays every two years, the Hygienist will occasionally take a single x-ray if she thinks there's a reason to be concerned about a particular tooth. Maybe you should look for a different dentist?
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