How much radiation is present in x-rays?

One of the most common reasons people are hesitant to take x-rays is because they do not want to be exposed to radiation. We agree that minimizing exposure to radiation is of critical importance, and we adhere to the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). We also weigh the benefits of the information gained from the x-rays before taking them.

The good news is that dental x-rays have a relatively low amount of radiation. Here are some x-ray radiation facts. Dental x-rays have:

• the same amount of radiation as eating 2 bananas
• 50% of the radiation the average person is exposed to from natural causes in a single day
• 13% of the radiation you get from flying from New York to LA
• 3% of the radiation produced by the potassium in a human body over the course of a year
• 3% of the radiation from a mammogram
• 25% of the radiation from a head CT scan
• 13% of the radiation from normal yearly background dose

0.07% of the radiation from a chest CT scan.