Which of the following precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of chromosome mutations?
a. have routine x-rays taken every week to make sure that your body is healthy
b. refuse any x-ray procedures, regardless of the reason for needing the x-ray
c. wear a lead protective shield when having teeth x-rays
d. no precautions can reduce the risk of chromosome mutations

The right answer is C.

Radiation protection is the set of measures taken to ensure the protection of man and his environment against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

In this sense, the dental surgeon must take care to observe the respect of certain rules of radioprotection, to protect the patient, the assistant and oneself:

- X-rays must be performed by the dentist alone or by a person (assistant) who has been trained in this respect and is aware of the risks involved in the event of abusive exposure,

- Limit the field of exposure as far as possible (use of collimation media),

- Avoid performing X-rays in pregnant women before three months of pregnancy.

- Avoid holding the film by yourself or by the assistant (use of film door), - Stand 2 meters behind the tube (use the maximum length of the cord of the trigger bulb),

- If possible, stay behind a wall (X-ray tubes greater than 70KV require a sealing of the walls),

- Develop the pictures correctly. A photo poorly developed will keep less and will be a photo to redo. It is also important to check the quality of the development products every morning,

- Count the number of snapshots to be redone and look for the cause related to the technique or development to make a self-assessment,

- To properly archive snapshots,

- If possible, use of digital imaging which considerably reduces the exposure to the detriment of an image quality lower than that of the film,

- Use of a dosimeter which makes it possible to measure quantitatively the ionizing radiation to which the dentist has been exposed for a limited duration.

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