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Spanish Question

A mis quince semanas de embarazo me realizaron 8 radiografías dentales periapicales digitales en una misma cita, mi bebé ya tiene 5 meses , nació completamente sano pero me preocupa que la radiación recibida le pueda causar más probabilidad de algún cáncer en el futuro, espero me ayude con esta duda!

 

English Question

At fifteen weeks pregnant I had eight digital periapical dental x-rays done in a single appointment. My baby is now five months old and was born completely healthy, but I’m worried that the radiation he received might increase his risk of cancer in the future. I hope you can help me with this question!

Spanish Answer
Espero que te tranquilice saber que las radiografías dentales hacen que el cuerpo absorba una cantidad muy pequeña de radiación, ya sea el de una persona adulta o el de un bebé en desarrollo. La dosis efectiva suele estar entre 1 y 8 microsieverts (μSv) por radiografía dental.
Para poner esta cantidad en contexto, en Estados Unidos, una persona recibe en promedio alrededor de 8 μSv de radiación al día de fuentes naturales presentes en el aire, el agua, el suelo y los alimentos. Esta cantidad varía según la ubicación geográfica y puede ser tan baja como aproximadamente 0,8 μSv al día (cerca de la costa del golfo) o tan alta como 80 μSv al día (en la meseta de Colorado).No se ha demostrado un aumento del riesgo de cáncer con estos niveles de exposición tan bajos, y la mayoría de las personas expertas recomienda no estimar ningún riesgo cuando la exposición es inferior a 50.000 μSv.
English Answer
I hope it will reassure you to know that dental X-rays result in only a very small amount of radiation being absorbed by the body, be it an adult or a developing baby. The effective dose is usually between 1 and 8 microsieverts (μSv) per dental X-ray.

To put this amount into context, in the United States, a person receives an average of about 8 μSv of radiation per day from natural sources in the air, water, soil, and food. This amount varies depending on geographic location and can be as low as approximately 0.8 μSv per day (near the Gulf Coast) or as high as 80 μSv per day (on the Colorado Plateau).

No increased risk of cancer has been demonstrated at these very low levels of exposure, and most experts recommend not to estimate any risk when exposure is below 50,000 μSv.

Answer posted on 9 September 2026. The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.