Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. I am excited to be back here to answer your health questions.

I've got to say it's really fascinating to hear what's on your mind. Today, Jesse's back with us and has some new questions.

Who do we have first? Okay, first up, Violet from California is a little bit worried about her son's cell phone and technology habits.

Take a listen.

My son, he's 16.

How much of a risk do wireless headphones that use Bluetooth technology codes when it comes to health concerns such as cancer. He wears his AirPods daily,

religiously, so just want to be able to answer his question as far as if they are harmful.

All right, Violet, I get it. The answer for this question really comes down to a basic understanding of radiation.

The types of radiation that our devices emit, and then the actual level of risk that

that might pose. I'll break it down for you right after this break.

Okay, Violet, the question is about whether or not Bluetooth technology, especially when it comes to the headphones your son uses, poses any particular health risks like cancer.

So, first of all, Bluetooth technology does emit a type of radiation. That is true.

But it's important to know that there are two types of

radiation, ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. So ionizing radiation means that it can

ionize things. It's a high-energy form of radiation that can alter or damage DNA when there is

too much exposure. And when your DNA is

damaged, that's what can increase your risk of cancer. Now, if you've had an x-ray or a CT

scan in the past, then you have been exposed to small levels of ionizing radiation. But don't worry,

it's not enough to cause cancer. The other type of radiation

is non-ionizing. This is a much lower energy form and is generally considered harmless to humans.

We are always exposed to non-ionizing radiation. You'll be exposed to it just by living on planet Earth.

And there are radio waves that essentially run our world.

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