Demographic structure of patients taking dental X-rays in the Lublin region

Intraoral radiograms are the most often taken X-ray pictures in humans and the dose of radiation necessary for such radiogram is very low. However, there exists a considerable anxiousness in Polish society towards Roentgen radiation making patients avoid dental X-rays even when these are indispensable in dental treatment. The aim of the study was the evaluation of demographic structure of patients taking intraoral radiograms. The material consisted of 1,014 adults undergoing dental treatment, who had intraoral radiograms taken in the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology in 2000. After the informed consent the patients filled an anonymous questionnaire of standardised interview. The collected records were analyzed statistically and data such as age, sex, education, place of residence, employment and income were considered. The demographic structure of population of patients who had intraoral radiograms taken in the course of dental treatment differs considerably from the structure of the general population. These differences were marked especially when taking into account the level of education, employment and place of residence of the studied patients. Inhabitants of rural communities, people with lower level of education as well as older patients avoid taking dental radiograms irrationally fearing ionizing radiation. The economic factor is also important and influences the structure of patients in the domain of employment and income.