Mom was always leery about medicine, but in particular I remember her pushing back on x-rays unless absolutely necessary. My guess is that they were somewhat safe, but probably used more power than necessary and more than used today. She always asked for lead aprons at a time when it was not always provided.
Though I am not as cautious as she is, I am cautious with dental x-rays: they always suggest they’re taken even though I have no problems with my teeth. Therefore I always ask when the most recent images were taken and, if less than two years, I decline, as I did at my most recent cleaning and checkup. The images were less than eighteen months old, I have no concerns or problems with my teeth, seemed unnecessary.
Mom would smile.
Image Credits
- “Dental X-Ray” by brownpau is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
