Routine dental care is necessary for overall health, and X-rays are a common diagnostic tool used to see below the surface of the gums and teeth. Breastfeeding parents often worry if this procedure is safe for their infant. Major health organizations confirm that receiving dental X-rays while breastfeeding is safe and does not require any interruption to nursing.
Understanding Radiation Exposure and Breast Milk
Dental X-rays use ionizing radiation, but the dose delivered is extremely low and highly localized to the head and neck area. This radiation is non-systemic, meaning it does not travel throughout the mother’s body to affect other tissues or fluids. The entire exposure event lasts only for the moment the image is being taken.
Radiation is not a substance that can be absorbed, stored, or secreted by the body, so it does not accumulate in or contaminate breast milk. Diagnostic X-rays have no known effect on the milk present in the breast or the mother’s ability to produce milk. A parent can nurse immediately after the procedure, as no waiting period is necessary.
The radiation dose from a single digital dental X-ray is minimal, often exposing the patient to as little as 0.2 microsieverts (µSv). This amount is comparable to the background radiation exposure a person naturally receives daily. Since the radiation does not become residual or radioactive within the body, there is no risk of the infant ingesting “radioactive milk.”
Standard Safety Measures During Dental X-Rays
Even though the risk is negligible, dental offices employ standard safeguards to minimize patient exposure. The most recognized safety measure is the use of a lead apron, which covers the chest, abdomen, and pelvis to shield the body from stray radiation. A thyroid collar is also frequently used to protect the sensitive thyroid gland.
The shift from traditional film-based imaging to modern digital radiography has significantly reduced the radiation dose required for a clear image. Digital sensors are far more sensitive than film, allowing for a reduction in exposure time, sometimes by as much as 80%. This technological advancement has made the already low dose even lower.
The radiation dose is so minimal that some expert panels suggest lead aprons and thyroid collars are no longer strictly necessary for routine dental X-rays. However, many practitioners continue to use this protective equipment as an added layer of reassurance. This practice adheres to the principle of keeping exposure As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).
Dental Anesthetics and Pain Medication Safety
A complete dental visit often involves more than just X-rays, including the potential use of numbing agents and pain relievers. Local anesthetics, such as lidocaine and mepivacaine, are safe while breastfeeding because only minute amounts enter the parent’s bloodstream. Since these drugs are injected locally, they are quickly metabolized by the body.
The amount of local anesthetic that transfers to breast milk is extremely small and is not well absorbed by the infant’s gastrointestinal tract. Studies suggest the resulting infant dose is negligible. Therefore, there is no need to interrupt nursing or “pump and dump” after a routine dental procedure involving local anesthesia.
For managing post-procedure discomfort, common over-the-counter pain medications are also highly compatible with breastfeeding. Both acetaminophen and ibuprofen are preferred options for nursing parents. Minimal amounts of these medications pass into breast milk, posing no risk to the healthy, full-term infant.