Study on dental radiographs full of flaws

Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, a prolific syndicated pseudonymous newspaper columnist, has written an article on the purported dangers of radiation from dental radiographs. Well known to Canadian skeptics for advocating placebo cures, blaming dirty electricity for a host of common ailments, and promoting accusations that Health Canada is terrorizing the proprietors of health food stores, his most recent piece cautions readers to be careful of prescribed dental radiographs.

He refers to X-rays taken for orthodontic purposes but doesn't seem to understand that most radiographs taken in a dental office are to diagnose tooth decay, periodontal disease or actual cancers within the bones.

As with a lot of other topics he writes about he picks and chooses phrases from studies and states them to get the most reaction from readers.

He is also known for promoting the fact that cell phone use can cause a similar cancer in those users and promoting his own Vitamin C based cure-all both on his website and in presentations.

He is not a specialist in any particular region of medicine and has been writing these columns for years so I have no idea if he is even still licensed to practice anywhere.

The fact he was born in 1924 may also have some bearing on the science he believes in as well.

The actual study he mentions has so many flaws in it that peer reviews have stated it has no real foundation in science as most of the subjects were asked to remember the number and type radiographs they had done some up to 50 years ago.

I can't remember the last radiograph I had for anything let alone one 50 years ago.

As with the loons that go on about vaccines, people like Jones make their living by stating the ridiculous and selling columns in papers.

If one would rather believe a doctor who won't even use his own name on an article than a dental professional that they have been seeing for years, go for it.

When you find a dentist who agrees with Jones, he may not tell you his real name either for fear of the malpractice case for not being diligent in taking care of your oral health.

The American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology has also responded to this study on dental X-ray risks and continues to endorse careful and judicious use of radiology in dentistry.