Laura Jansen Howerton, RDH, MS, is a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill. Her teaching interests include oral radiology, oral pathology, and dental anatomy. She is a frequent contributor to Dimensions on radiography.

QUESTION I am 16 weeks pregnant and still taking digital dental x-rays. When I am taking an x-ray, I pull the cord, run into the next room, and hide behind the wall. I also wear an x-ray badge but at times I have forgotten to wear it. Am I safe?

ANSWER The guidelines for radiation safety for the operator apply to everyone, male or female, pregnant or not. However, women of child-bearing age are typically more concerned about the potential for radiation exposure. Operators of dental radiographic equipment achieve the most protection from radiation exposure when standing at least 6 feet from the source of radiation, ie, the tubehead, at a 90° to 135° angle to the beam or behind a leaded wall or barrier. You can also wear a leaded apron yourself during the exposures. For future note, before becoming pregnant, have your radiation badge read several times and as long as all previous exposures produce a negative result, you should be fine.

► Edentulism and Wrinkles

Ann Eshenaur Spolarich RDH, PhD, is a physiologist, independent research consultant, and national continuing education provider in Cave Creek, Ariz. An editorial advisory board member for Dimensions, she wrote a two-part series on xerostomia in the April 2005 and July 2005 issues of Dimensions.

QUESTION Recently I had an older female patient who attributed the appearance of wrinkles around her lips and chin area to not wearing her dentures during sleep. I advised her that wearing her dentures all the time may cause other complications, such as soreness on the palatal region, bad breath, and irritation due to non-removal. She refuses to take her dentures out. I advised her to set aside a few hours each day to remove the dentures so her tissues can be in direct contact with the natural secretions of the mouth and her dentures can soak in a moisturizing/cleaning solution. I also advised her to do 1 minute rinses/swishes with a chlorhexidine rinse, especially before she goes to sleep. Is my advice appropriate?

ANSWER It sounds like you are on target—patients with dentures need to remove them for a period of time each day to allow for denture cleaning and to give the tissues a break. Wrinkles around the mouth are a normal part of aging, and the loss of vertical dimension that accompanies tooth loss makes those wrinkles appear more prominent.  Everyone deals with their esthetic concerns individually, and it is fine for you to weigh in with your professional opinion regarding oral health.

► Fluoride

Howard Pollick, BDS, MPH, is a clinical professor at the School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco. He was interviewed in our February 2006 issue on community fluoridation, which is archived here.

QUESTION If fluoridated water is boiled, does the fluoride still remain? I believe that it is still present but I’m not positive.

ANSWER Fluoride ion is non-volatile, compared to fluorine gas. There is no fluorine gas in fluoridated water. Boiling fluoridated water will increase the concentration of fluoride, depending on the amount of water vapor (steam) that is boiled off.