How harmful are dental x-rays? Is it bad to get more than one done in a month?

I haven't been to a dentist in a very long time since I don't have insurance I just kept putting it off...I decided to get a checkup this month and had dental x-rays taken. Well I really didn't like the dentist office I went to, so I decided to go another dentist office about a week later. The other dentist I went to took dental x-rays as well. I need a root canal and both dentists were charging amounts I couldn't afford, so I decided to look for dental insurance. I have qualified for dental insurance beginning next month, but it's HMO so I have to go to another dentist...which happens to do digital x-rays only. Now I'm afraid that too many x-rays within a short period of time might be harmful. I just read an article on msn about new studies show that x-rays causes cancer in the future. I'm not sure what to do...or if dental x-rays are not that harmful... anyone know??
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You were harming your body more by putting off much needed dental work. Broken down, decayed teeth, bleeding diseased gums, infected teeth that need root canals are more dangerous to your overall health than a few x-rays per month. Dental offices follow strict protocols for radiation and how much exposure a person can have. I assure you that you are safe, esp with digital x-rays, which produce 60 to 80 percent less radiation than traditional films. Also the beam of radiation is so focused, in this case on your mouth, that the exposure to the rest of the body is minimal. Periodontal gum disease, decayed teeth, and infected teeth and gums produce inflammation in the body, which has been connected to an increase risk of strokes, heart attacks, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes........ the list goes on. Are you aware of how much radiation you are exposed to in a day? The sun, computers, microwaves, etc. Dental x-rays are an absolute necessity for the dentist to properly diagnose your dental problems. Dentists can get into serious trouble if they work on a tooth for a filling or root canal without an x-ray. Your best bet is to educate yourself, and stop believing everything that you read, including this post. Don't take my word for it, ask your dentist, find research at your local library or university, be proactive. As a side note just about everything that we ingest, are exposed to, work with etc has been reported as a possible carcinogen. With all of the pollutants in our air and water, preservatives in our food, lead paint on our children's toys, how is anyone ever sure what exactly causes cancer, the answer is no one really knows FOR SURE!!
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