Health Tip: X-Rays at the Dentist

(HealthDay News) -- Healthy teeth require more than good dental hygiene and regular cleanings. Dental X-rays can show potential abnormalities that your dentist couldn't otherwise see, indicating how healthy your teeth really are.

Here's a list of what dental X-rays can be used to identify, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• The number, size and position of all teeth.

• Teeth that are impacted or those that haven't emerged.

• Cavities.

• Damage to the bones surrounding the teeth.

• Abscesses.

• Fractures in the jaw.

• Other abnormalities of the teeth or jaw.