Radiation dose to the thyroid, eyes and parotid glands of patients undergoing intra-oral radiographic procedures in a teaching hospital in Ibadan, Oyo state Nigeria

Background: Intraoral radiographs are believed to deliver low doses to patients, thus little work has been done in this regards. Considering the increment in the number of patients reporting for the examination and the probability of delayed somatic effects for accumulated low doses of X-irradiation, it is expedient to determine the doses to three critical organs eye, thyroid and parotid that are at risk during exposure. Materials and Methods: Thermoluminescent dosimeters was used to measure Entrance Surfaces Doses (ESDs) to the thyroid, eye and parotids salivary gland of 40 adult patients undergoing intra-oral radiographic examination at University College Hospital, (UCH) Ibadan, Oyo state. Results: Results indicated entrance surface doses (ESD) ranged between 0.0447 mGy to 0.3898 mGy to the thyroid, 0.0742 mGy to 0.3989 mGy to eye and 0.0467 mGy to 0.4164 mGy to the parotids for the period of study. The mean ESD ± SD to the thyroid, parotids and eyes for male were 0.1798±0.081, 0.2155±0.109 and 0.2197±0.081 mGy with the female patients 0.1957±0.084, 0.2091±0.081 and 0.2280±0.113 mGy respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between these means.  Conclusion: The doses obtained in this study were lower than the documented threshold that could cause significant damage in the various organs, not undermining stochastic effect of radiation. This study will assist in setting Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL) for intraoral radiographic imaging in Nigeria.