How often should a person have dental x-rays taken?
The answer depends on your individual condition and needs. If you are a new patient, a dentist may very well recommend a complete x-ray, or radiograph, examination of your mouth and jaws to determine your current status and make sure there are no undetected problems developing. A set of x-rays also gives the dentist a baseline against which to compare future oral health developments.
The schedule for x-rays will likely not be the same for any two patients. Your schedule will vary according to your age, your risk of disease and any signs or symptoms of a problem that you display. Children need x-rays more frequently than adults because their teeth and jaws are still developing and because their teeth are more likely to be affected by tooth decay than those of adults. X-rays are particularly useful in detecting the start of new cavities and in determining the extent of gum disease, which may not be visible to the naked eye.
Talk to your dentist about any concerns or questions you have about x-rays.