possible x-ray overdose?

[crwilson]

Hey everyone last monday i went to the dentist for the first time in about 10 or 12 years years because some of my wisdom teeth are coming in. anyways they needed to take a xray using a machine that produces a digital picture and rotates around my head. It just so happened that i was only the second person on which they used the xray machine. So anyways they got me to put my head in these clamps and bite down on a piece of metal so my head wouldnt move, meanwhile the dentists helper is pushing all these buttons on the machine because she cant get the digital display to light up but the machine is beeping, i know it didn't take any xrays at this time because it didnt spin around my head. but im wondeing if she set the dose to high or something because a week later the top of my mouth started getting sore, and today i have little pieces of skin falling off the top of my mouth sorta coming loose. Also ive had some minor headaches this week of which i havent had a headache in probably 15 years.

Also they got me to put on a childs vest where as im 215 pounds and 6 feet tall they did this because the collar on the adult vest ruined the image of the previous patient.

I forgot to mention it was the first day they had the new xray equipment and obviously had no idea what they were doing. it took about a half hour for them to get one xray because they had no idea how to work it.

so do you guys think that my mouth is like this because of the xrays? Ive got pretty good teeth im 28 and have never had a cavity yet or anything thats why i quit going when i was 16.

[jane2256]

I don't know about the headaches, but my mouth does that whenever I eat something rough like a BLT or any toasted sandwich. Never used to though, just started happening these last few years.

[sebastes]

your face would, at the least, appear 'sunburnt and sore and that doesn't appear to be the case. I'd vote on the hot pizza or BLT syndrome also.

[Macybaby]

Since your wisdom teeth are coming in, I'm assuming you are in your early 20's. They may be coming in wrong and that can give you headaches and cause mouth issues too. I had two start coming in and get impacted and that caused all sorts of problems. My other two came in fine, but I had problems with them later on and had them pulled.

If you are a lot older and your wisdom teeth are only now coming in, you may have all sorts of things going on in your mouth that could be leading to these problems. I also assume that not all is going well, and that is what prompted you to go to the dentist in the first place in 10-12 years.

Cathy

[foxtrapper]

If they stuck the machine in your mouth, then it'd be possible that your symptoms are from an x-ray burn. But I've yet to see them do that. So you burned yourself with pizza cheese or such (I do it about once every month or two).

If you google search "x-ray burn" and look at the images, you'll see what they typically look like, and why your symptoms don't sound at all like an x-ray burn.

[foxtrapper]

Um, WIHH, that was kinda my point. Did you even read what I wrote?

[Mid Tn Mama]

WIHH that is very interesting. I don't want to hijack the thread, but would love it if you would post your opinions on over the counter teeth whiteners.

[naturelover]

Originally Posted by Mid Tn Mama

WIHH that is very interesting. I don't want to hijack the thread, but would love it if you would post your opinions on over the counter teeth whiteners.

Yeah, don't want to hijack either but I'd also be interested to hear about that, also whether or not it works on crowns. Maybe a different topic?

.

[culpeper]

You'd have to be under a constant 'flow' of x-rays for hours and hours before any burning would occur. Even then it's unlikely.

[foxtrapper]

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

Is it alright with someone adds more information or should we check with you first?

Well I'll agree that would be a very good idea, but I suspect others would disagree.

Way I read your words, I thought you were lecturing because you thought I'd gotten it backwards and was saying the machine was stuck in his/her mouth. Always a problem when reading written text with no visual or audio cues.

[Mid Tn Mama]

Thanks WIHH! What is a reasonable time to wait to have a cup of coffee after whitening? Or, might it be better done before you go to bed at night?

[OrganicGal]

I'd suggest that anyone having any xrays of any kind always have the proper shield on in the appropriate places. Although some machines will emit more radiation than others, shielding is important as a prevention from unintentional damage to already comprimised organs or even a yet unknown pregnancy.

It sounds like the shield they gave you was too small. Next time, before you go in, call them and ask if they have a proper shield for you in case you need xrays. They must provide this for you if you request it. If you call ahead, they will have time to find one for you.

I recently had a mammogram done on a new digital machine but I was almost fully shielded, including my thyroid due to recently diagnosed thyroid disease.

[gone-a-milkin]

Originally Posted by Wind in Her Hair

its entirely different with intraoral radiography - exposure time a fraction of what it takes for a mammogram - and the amount of tissue that has to be penetrated is considerably thinner (a cheek) - hence - less radiation exposure. In many(most) states -no lead apron is required. There is more radiation emitted from your computer or TV than the dental xray.

So I should be wearing a lead suit right now? I guess the foil hat is not quite enough protection, is it?