dental xrays pre knee surgery

[wiscan]

I am having knee surgery after the first of the year (2009), and know that it is important to have my teeth cleaned prior to that surgery to avoid potential infections in my mouth from migrating to the knee surgery location.

However, my dentist is insisting that I need complete (18) dental xrays to spot potential infection at the root of the teeth.

My orthopedic surgeon has not recommended such xrays.  Do I need them?  

[Susan1944]

I'd meet him halfway and allow bitewings. Unless you actually believe you have
infection and cavities in your FRONT teeth.
I agree , as a layman, that dental xrays have little radiation. But what we're not told is that the rads ACCUMULATE over time. Then we get mammograms (and we're told we're getting ONE of them when we actually get a lot more) and THOSE add to the radiation from the dental xrays. We eat beef that has been injected with antibiotics and hormones. To top it off, the cancer societies (ACS) tell us, "we don't have any idea what causes cancer THEREFORE it can't be prevented. It's probably from our water and air so just deal with it."
  Terrible thing.

[scottma]

Full mouth series x-rays yields minimal exposure to radiation. We are exposed to radiation from natural environment equivilent to 30+ dental x-rays daily. Exposure to one chest x-ray is equivalent to more than 12000+ dental x-rays. There is no need to worry about risks from dental x-rays. The data are quoted from the textbook titled '" dental management of the medically compromised patient".