“Does exposure to nuclear medicine affect your oral health?”
I am a 28-year-old male who is working in the field of nuclear medicine. I was wondering does exposure to nuclear medicine affect your oral health?
4 Answers
Yes! Nuclear exposure can cause mouth dryness which causes extreme mouth problems ,ie; decay tissue soreness and toothloss
Interesting field and question and quite frankly, above my pay grade. But I know that one of the main concerns with nuclear medicine is radiation and therefore it should have no more or less risk than taking x-rays (radiographs). Radiation is cumulative over time within the human body so minimizing exposure to radiation is important. We always look at the risks vs benefits when using any radiation for diagnostic purposes. Nuclear medicine has risks and benefits, just like our bite wings. The main reason it is not used in dentistry is cost.
Absolutely not! The radiation the nuclear medicine worker receives is in such a small quantity that it has no biological effects. Nor does the natural radiation we receive from cosmic rays, radon, etc.
No. However, if you are treated with radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer, one usually gets dry mouth and increased risk of cavities.
