Imagine what your mouth would feel like if you never brushed your teeth or went to the dentist. For many dogs and cats, this is a painful reality. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the age of 3. Dental (or periodontal) disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in pets.
Common signs of dental disease include:
- Yellow or brown buildup (tartar) on the teeth
- Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Bad breath
- Excessive drooling
- Changes in eating or chewing habits
- Pawing at the face
- Loose teeth
- Depression
Even if your dog or cat doesn’t have these symptoms, we recommend that you have a veterinarian evaluate your pet’s dental health at least once a year. Bacteria and food debris accumulate around the teeth and, if left unchecked, will lead to deterioration of the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. This decay can result in irreversible periodontal disease, tooth loss, and possibly expensive oral surgery.
Dental disease can also affect other organs in the body: Bacteria in the mouth can get into the bloodstream and cause serious infections in the kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart. If these problems aren’t caught and treated quickly enough, they can result in death. A physical exam combined with appropriate laboratory work can determine if infection in the mouth has spread.
Schedule your pet’s dental exam today! We can also help show you how to brush your pet’s teeth and recommend foods and treats that will help combat plaque and tartar buildup.
Patients are placed under anesthesia and a technician performs a complete dental cleaning with an ultrasonic scaler that allows us to efficiently clean the crown of the tooth and most importantly below the gum line. This scaler is similar to the one used at your dentist office.
Once the cleaning is completed, we move forward with an oral assessment and treatment. We truly believe in the phrase “comprehensive” when evaluating and treating our patients.
- An essential tool of the evaluation is dental radiography. All of our patients have full mouth dental radiographs taken during these procedures. It is impossible to provide quality veterinary dental care without dental x-rays. This vital diagnostic tool allows us to evaluate dental structures under the gum line that are not visible on oral exam. This allows us to diagnose painful conditions that would otherwise go untreated.
- You pet’s veterinarian then performs an oral examination by evaluating each and every tooth and their surrounding tissues.
- The veterinarian will then remove any broken or diseased teeth to prevent further discomfort to your pet. Dental treatments may involve varying degrees of tooth extractions depending on the oral exam and the x-rays.
- All of our patients are closely monitored during the procedure and post-operatively until they have recovered enough to go home.
- A detailed and complete discharge plan is reviewed with you. This plan will include what we did during the procedure, what you can expect when you get home, and any follow up. We typically recommend a progress exam 10-14 days after the procedure for any patients who have had tooth extractions. This helps us assess the teeth and gums and adjust post-operative medications as needed.
