One wears a lead vest when getting x-rays at the hospital or as protective equipment when operating on nuclear reactors.

Moving beyond eating lead doesn't mean not using it intelligently when the risk profile is low. Also, lead-based glass is also an important component of the world's high-efficiency perovskite solar cells.

Many of the industrial products materials we wouldn't want to eat, this just means we have to be better about recycling.

Not sure why x-rays are still being used when there appears to be better and safer alternatives... Specially at the dentist where an inexperienced person shoots them at your head... Thank God they cover your chest with lead though....

> Not sure why x-rays are still being used when there appears to be better and safer alternatives

It all has to do with how medical billing is structured. Xrays were already cheap before the current model was put in place so they are the go to method for diagnostic. Even though there are better ubiquitous options available, price fixing keeps those out of reach for triage and simple diagnostics.

The standard dentist X-ray does you with about as much exposure as you get on a flight from the UK to Spain, I believe

But I have no faith that they know how to adjust the machine....