Monday, March 3, 2014

Do Dental X-Rays Cause Brain Tumors?

by Michael Greger, M.D.
DESCRIPTION: Getting bitewing or full mouth (panoramic) X-rays at the dentist may be associated with an increased risk of meningioma, the most common type of brain tumor.

I was just actually at the dentist for my check-up and was again offered a set of full mouth X-rays (because I was "due"). Normally when I refuse routine dental X-rays I've just explained that I try to minimize my radiation exposure, but this time I was able to refuse "as per the official recommendation of the American Dental Association"! I just got a blank stare.

More on avoiding brain tumors in:

• The Inflammatory Meat Molecule Neu5Gc (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-i...)
• IGF-1 as One-Stop Cancer Shop (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/igf-1...)
• When Nitrites Go Bad (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/when-...)
• #1 Anticancer Vegetable (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/1-ant...)
• Do Cell Phones Cause Cancer? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/do-ce...)

This is the third in a five part series on preventing and mediating the adverse effects of radiation exposure. The first, Fukushima and Radioactivity in Seafood (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/fukus...), described the natural and artificial sources of radioactive isotopes in our diet. The last video, Cancer Risk from CT Scan Radiation (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/cance...), detailed the estimated 29,000 cancers that doctors cause with CAT scans every year. In my next video, Mediating Radiation Exposure from Air Travel (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/media...), I talk about those full-body scanners in airports and I'll close out with ways to mediate all these risks with Reducing Radiation Damage With Ginger And Lemon Balm (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/reduc...).

Have a question for Dr. Greger about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/http:... and he'll try to answer it!