Experts divided over reliability of thyroid cancer study
Dental experts are divided over the relevance and reliability of a study which found that regular dental x-rays increased the risk of thyroid cancer.
The study, which was conducted by researchers in England in conjunction with a team in Kuwait, found that having ten or more dental X-rays increases the risk of developing thyroid cancer by more than five times. Previous studies had linked both dental and general X-rays to an increased risk of thyroid, brain and salivary gland cancer, but the latest study revealed such a significant increase in the chance of developing thyroid cancer, that it made experts question the safety of carrying out routine X-rays.
Many dental experts have started to question the use of dental X-rays as a part of routine examinations, while others have questioned the reliability of the study. Concerns have been raised over the relevance of the study in the UK because the data that was used came from patients in Kuwait, where thyroid cancer is much more prevalent than in the UK.
Despite the concerns over reliability, the figures suggest that there has been a considerable increase in the number of cases of thyroid cancer; between 1975 and 2006 the number of cases doubled. There has been a similar increase in the number of cases of other forms of oral cancer.
Research has undoubtedly urged experts to reconsider the amount of dental X-rays used by dentists; now, officials are considering decreasing the frequency of X-rays and finding ways of shielding the thyroid and salivary glands during the X-ray procedure. Further research into the link between X-rays and certain types of cancer is set to be conducted in the near future.
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