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Dental Disease is the most common disease that animals get!
Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of
pet health care; however, proper dental care provides optimum health and
quality of life for your pet. By the age of 3 years, 80% of dogs and 70%
of cats show signs of oral disease, as reported by the American
Veterinary Dental Society.
 As
pets
age, they are prone to gum disease and excess tartar build-up on the teeth.
Food particles and bacteria collect along the gum
line forming plaque. If plaque is not removed within 3-5 days, it
mineralizes into cement-like tartar that can only be removed using special
equipment at a properly equipped veterinary hospital. Tartar is irritating
to the gums causing inflammation called gingivitis. Because bacteria are
trapped in the tartar, it can also cause your pet to have bad breath,
painful chewing, infections at the roots of teeth and tooth loss. Diseases
of the oral cavity, if left untreated, are often painful and can lead to
more serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease.
So, how can you stop or prevent Dental Disease in your pet?
Veterinary dental care begins at the puppy and kitten life stage. To
prevent dental disease, your pet needs routine dental care at home – BUT for
home care to work, you need to start with clean, polished teeth. Brushing
will remove plaque, but not tartar. So, if your pet’s teeth have tartar, it
is necessary for us to remove it and polish the teeth. If your veterinarian
has observed an accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth of your pet,
a professional cleaning is usually recommended. |
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A professional dental cleaning, often called a dental prophylaxis (or “prophy”),
typically consists of:
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Anesthetizing your pet.
While we are able to perform basic oral exams on patients that are awake,
your pet will need to be anesthetized to perform a thorough examination and
cleaning. Attempting a dental cleaning while your pet is awake would not
only be dangerous for the team member performing the cleaning but dangerous
to your pet as well.
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Cleaning the teeth
with a handheld ultrasonic scaler which will remove all tartar from above
and most importantly, below the gum line.
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In some case, X-rays may be needed
to assess the health of all the teeth and bones of the mouth.
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Inspecting each tooth and surrounding gum tissue for any sign of
disease. If necessary, teeth are extracted.
·
Polishing teeth
to remove microscopic scratches and slow down the future adherence of plaque
to the teeth.
Call 924-4176 today for an appointment to determine whether your pet needs a
dental cleaning!
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