Dental xrays and AN's

[MDemisay]

Dear Members,

Can someone please help me? Quite a while ago (at least 6 or 7 months) I think someone posted about dental xrays being no good for people who have AN's or people who have had Gamma radiation (Gamma Knife). Does anybody remember about this?

 Just this morning, I went back to the dentists (after an abscence of about 16 months. The technician wanted to give me 6 xrays to check for cavities. After consulting with the doctor (who happens to be a friend of mine) Dr. Avis said that he would be grateful for whatever information I could pass on that would help him as to whether or not this would be a procedure that he should stay away from in AN patients. I said that I would ask the Acoustic Neuroma Association forum for answers.

Can anyone post a link that would be addressing this?

As always, I value your input.

Thank you in advance!

Mike

[Jim Scott]

Mike ~

We've had lots of threads about dental X-rays.  This is just one: http://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=16989.msg979740501#msg979740501 (not encouraging).

Using the Search function will bring up many more.

Jim

[Mickey]

I`ve always felt strong about dental Xrays and the coincidence of a higher rate of tumors in the nearby area (AN`s). I`m for one who`s had that coincidence about a couple of years after 2 dental implants on my upper left side. 1CM AN right above . Many Xrays taken there during that procedure. Just some insight here but who knows for sure. Best wishes, Mickey P.S. no Xrays since...W+W 6 yrs. stable

[CHD63]

As Jim said, we have posted about this before, but it never hurts to repeat for those who are newcomers to the forum.

According to the Yale researcher at the last ANA Symposium (in 2011), ionizing radiation (which dental x-rays are) is the only known potential cause for ANs (in some people).  HOWEVER, one of my dentists (who is newly out of dental school) is assuring me that the amount of radiation in routine bite-wing x-rays is minuscule.

In my particular case, I had massive doses of ionizing radiation to my nasopharyngeal area when I was a kid.  My doctors feel strongly that for me those huge doses were very likely the cause of my initial AN, and probably the regrowth I experienced.  Therefore, I routinely refuse x-rays unless absolutely needed (which I recently had to have because of a feared abscess).

Hope that helps.

Clarice

[pjb]

As Jim said, we have posted about this before, but it never hurts to repeat for those who are newcomers to the forum.

According to the Yale researcher at the last ANA Symposium (in 2011), ionizing radiation (which dental x-rays are) is the only known potential cause for ANs (in some people).  HOWEVER, one of my dentists (who is newly out of dental school) is assuring me that the amount of radiation in routine bite-wing x-rays is minuscule.

In my particular case, I had massive doses of ionizing radiation to my nasopharyngeal area when I was a kid.  My doctors feel strongly that for me those huge doses were very likely the cause of my initial AN, and probably the regrowth I experienced.  Therefore, I routinely refuse x-rays unless absolutely needed (which I recently had to have because of a feared abscess).

Hope that helps.

Clarice

I am just wondering so many people have had X-rays then everyone would have one this tumor is rare so why just the bunch of us have an AN??....I am up in age and had numerous X-rays and so has my family and husband and they didn't get one just a thought and don't think any of the doctors know maybe one day but not in this lifetime there is not that much research being done because they are benign sad to say so they don't give it the research that they should to maybe prevent it this is just my theory.

[pjb]

Mike ~

We've had lots of threads about dental X-rays.  This is just one: http://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=16989.msg979740501#msg979740501 (not encouraging).

Using the Search function will bring up many more.

Jim

I just read it quickly and states mostly mengioma didn't see AN?? Not sure if there is another support group with that type of tumor or if they are as many of them as ours??

[chloes mema]

Just my 2 cents worth  which doesn't answer Mikes question but does contribute to the conversation.

Shortly after my diagnosis of a small AN I had extensive dental xrays & before I knew it that darn AN took a growing spree.  Now whether the xrays had anything to do with it or not I don't know but I now refuse dental xrays.

But it does make me wonder why only a few of us have an AN when so many people have dental xrays regularly. 

Karen

[jsanders1379]

Yes- I've had a lot of dental x-rays, including the panoramic type in the last few years (trying to correct bite for TMJ)-who knows...?

[CHD63]

Dr. Elizabeth Claus from Yale University is the researcher who is involved in a long-term study of acoustic neuromas and meningiomas.  I am watching it carefully.

Here is another relevant article .....

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/882876-overview#a0102

Clarice

[New girl]

My doctors told me dental x-rays were OK.  But since I now have a family history (AN & meningioma) I always refuse them.  Maybe they are fine but unless I am in massive pain I will take a pass. 

NOTE: I am not a doctor and I am not telling anyone they should not have dental x-rays.  I am sharing an opinion not giving medical advice. 

[MDemisay]

Dear Jim Scott, Mickey, Clarice, PJB,Karen ,Jeanne and New Girl and to all of you caring souls who will come after,

Thank you ever so much. After a long day yesterday punctuated by the latest news in Boston (which is still developing as I type this) I found on my search of"dental xrays" 21 references going all the way back to 2006.

My dentist, Dr. Victor Avis, an excellent family( located on Staten Island) dentist requested that I send him links to where he can go to view the articles.( (Thank you Jim and others.)

 I was suprised to find that I am initially responsible for 3 of the articles (including this one)!

 I usually err on the side of caution and any little subjection to xrays (given every year except this one) especially frequent ones, I will avoid like the plague!

By the way, if my dentist has to work around my bleeding gums, so be it!



Thanks again for all of your support, again you have been so helpful forum members!


Mike

[pjb]

Dear Jim Scott, Mickey, Clarice, PJB,Karen ,Jeanne and New Girl and to all of you caring souls who will come after,

Thank you ever so much. After a long day yesterday punctuated by the latest news in Boston (which is still developing as I type this) I found on my search of"dental xrays" 21 references going all the way back to 2006.

My dentist, Dr. Victor Avis, an excellent family( located on Staten Island) dentist requested that I send him links to where he can go to view the articles.( (Thank you Jim and others.)

 I was suprised to find that I am initially responsible for 3 of the articles (including this one)!

 I usually err on the side of caution and any little subjection to xrays (given every year except this one) especially frequent ones, I will avoid like the plague!

By the way, if my dentist has to work around my bleeding gums, so be it!



Thanks again for all of your support, again you have been so helpful forum members!


Mike

I forgot to add that I am a BIG chicken with the dentist and definitely do not go every year so no need for me to worry now about X-rays especially that I no longer have any coverage. But I did go as a child and that is when they didn't put those heavy things over your chest??. I agree Mike so be it with the bleeding gums....

Best Wishes,

Pat

[robinb]

Seems like I missed so much when I was doing my treatment research.

Since my GK in January, I broke a crown that is on an implant on the AN side. Really had no choice to get treatment as missing two teeth on other side. So lots of drilling to get the crown off and expose the implant. Of course xrays to determine if any problem w/the implant....of course wondering if this was the cause of my spasms....

[mikechinnock]

Ionizing radiation is the only recognized cause of an acoustic neuroma. There mat be other causes, but they are not recognized. Ionizing radiation, be it a single photon, or particle, can cause cell damage. Some doctors hold that the probability of hitting anything by one photon, or particle is very small. Thus some think in terms of a low dose not being a health risk. I ask how many shots fired into the air of New Year's Eve would be considered a risk ? I think the answer is that even one shot poses a health risk. Ionizing radiation dose is cumulative.  Over the course of your life how many photons, or ionized particles have you accumlated ? I talked with my dentist about my previous exposure to ionizing radiation and concern for the accumulation of total exposure. She agreed with me and she does a X-ray once every two years using one tab per side. As with most things in life this is a 'crap shoot'. One large dose, fifty smal doses ... I do not see much difference.

[PaulW]

Just thought I would try and put things in perspective here.
The amount of x-rays you receive from the current low dose dental x-rays is extremely low.
0.005 milisieverts. This is half the radiation dose you receive every day from background radiation.

Flying from LA to New York will give you 0.03mSv from extra cosmic rays.
So flying from LA to New York is 6 times more likely to give you cancer than a dental x-ray.
Its very very small indeed.

A CT Scan of the head is 2mSv or equivalent to 400 dental x-rays

If you have had old style radiation for a head or neck tumour..
Well that's about 1000mSv or 200,000 Dental X-rays...

If you have had a Bone Marrow Transplant
Its equivalent to 1.6M Dental X-rays.

Something to take note also is that the higher the dose the more damage it does.
So while a CT-scan will give you 400 times more radiation than a dental x-ray, the relationship is not linear.
So the risk of cancer from a CT -Scan is likely to be far higher than 400 times..

A good analogy is probably smoking....

There are cancer causing agents in tobacco, and just one cigarette in theory could cause lung cancer.

Bone Marrow Transplant.... smoked 20 cigarettes a day for 10 years

Head and Neck tumour
Smoked 20 cigarettes a day for 1 year

CT- Scan You smoked 40 Cigarettes in your life.

Dental X-ray. Standing next to somebody who is smoking, or an extra 12 hours living in city.