Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene: Cleanings and Exams
Beyond brushing and flossing, keeping up with your recommended cleanings and exams is essential to your oral health. While your at home maintenance is very important, you just simply cannot remove all of the plaque yourself. This plaque builds and begins to weaken the tooth enamel – causing cavities and gum recession.
Routine Cleanings
Many patients already know this routine: you come into the office, have your teeth polished, flossed, get a fluoride rinse, and then you’re out the door. These simple-sounding tasks actually are vital to maintaining a healthy smile. While you may think that you’re a master with a toothbrush, the fact remains that even the best brushers and flossers miss spots. By visiting the dentist routinely, you can receive a deep clean that leaves your teeth polished and cleared of pesky plaque and tartar.
If you have children, be sure to also take them to routine cleanings, so that they become used to this idea of semi-annual cleanings. It promotes good healthy habits, and also gives Dr. Tharp and Dr. Klaus an opportunity to keep track of your dental progress; which leads to the next section:
X-rays and Diagnostics
X-rays have long been the go-to need for dentists who want to keep track of their patient’s teeth. With the evolution of digital x-rays, it’s easier than ever for dentists to have a clearer picture of their patient’s smile, both inside and out. Digital technology also makes it easier to share dental records between medical professionals. At Tharp & Klaus, we are proud to utilize the Galileos cone beam imaging system by Sirona Dental Systems, allowing us to take 3D images of our patients. This not only includes their jaws and teeth, but also their skull for more accurate and safer restoration procedures. With one 14-second 3D scan, we can evaluate years of bone loss, candidacy for implants, airway obstruction, sinus pathology, and much more.
While dentists still rely on x-rays to see the bigger picture, the use of intraoral cameras now allows dentists to take pictures of individual teeth. This way, they can track any changes the teeth have gone through since the patient’s last visit. This can include shifts in placement, signs of teeth grinding (bruxism), or early warning signs of disease such as gum disease. In today’s technological world, it has never been truer that seeing is believing.
Comprehensive Dental Check-Ups
Sometimes dental problems only occur at the surface level; other times they are beneath the gums and can’t be seen with the naked eye. During your routine cleanings with us, we’ll also perform in-depth check-ups. We screen for dental issues such as:
- Tooth decay (cavities)
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Gum disease (or periodontal disease)
- Oral cancers
- TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) Disorder
- Loose crowns or fillings
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Sleep apnea
Family-Friendly Dentistry
Are you looking for a dentistry that you can attend with the rest of your family? You’re not alone! The last thing parents want is to have multiple dentists to keep track of; here at Tharp & Klaus we make it easy, providing a whole suite of dental services for you and your whole family. Even as you get older, we can accommodate your dental changes along with your growing family. So have your family join our family, and see the transformations that can take place with Dr. Tharp and Dr. Klaus.
Improve Your Dental Hygiene at Tharp & Klaus Dental Clinic
Good dental hygiene is the first line of defense against harmful bacteria and oral diseases, so don’t neglect your oral health! Pay us a visit in Jackson, MS, where we’ll be happy to offer cleanings, diagnostics, and recommended procedures for the whole family. Keep your smile flawless with us.