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Everyone knows that you should visit your dentist twice a year to your teeth examined and cleaned. The same care applies to your pet. Actually, your pet uses its mouth quite a bit more than you do. Consider this, people and pets both eat, but for dogs and cats, their mouths function as their "hands" as well. They scratch an itch, pull and pick up their toys, dogs chew rawhide, cats lick themselves clean, and most dogs and many cats stick their noses into everything to sniff odors. All these activities put their mouths to heavy use and expose them to many potential hazards. As such, your pet's mouth and teeth should have regular checkups, preferably twice a year.
Pets need to have their teeth cleaned on a regular basis to remove plaque and tartar accumulation. Plaque is a combination of bacteria and food debris that collects on the surfaces of teeth and eventually spreads under the gum line. These bacteria can secrete substances that lead to inflammation of the gums, to gingivitis, and eventually periodontal disease. This process may even weaken or destroy tissue that anchors their teeth.
Signs of periodontal disease:
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Inflamed or bleeding gums
- Change in eating or chewing habits (including toys)
- Change in behavior or personality
- Excessive or abnormal drooling
- Going to the food bowel and not eating or dropping food from the mouth
When we clean your pet's teeth, your pet receives a very similar treatment to what you experience at your dentist. We use a Cavitron to remove tartar from all tooth surfaces. We polish the teeth to remove all traces of plaque and tartar. We conduct a periodontal exam to ensure the health of your pet's gums. We investigate any abscesses and pockets for potential problems. If necessary, we will extract any teeth to prevent future problems. Finally, we apply a fluoride treatment and we use Oravet Barrier Sealant to create a barrier that prevents accumulation of plaque and tartar-forming bacteria.
This procedure does require an anesthetic. There is a risk, however small, for any surgical procedure requiring anesthesia. (Even when you and I go to the dentist to have a filling put in, there is some small risk associated with the nitrous oxide they use.) Therefore, we will recommend blood screening to determine if any problems exist that cannot be determined from a physical exam. Based on what we find, we can modify our anesthetic protocol to minimize any potential risk.
At home, brushing your pet's teeth always helps, although this can be difficult. Simply try your best. We recommend using Hill's t/d, a tartar diet, as a treat or dietary supplement to help reduce tartar buildup on your pet's teeth. Research has shown that the type of food fed, canned or dry, makes very little difference in the amount of tartar build up. Instead, the material in the food contributes decisively to preventing this accumulation, specifically certain types of fiber work best. Using t/d is a simple and tasty way to promote your pet's oral health.
Also at home, using Oravet Barrier Sealant (after a dental cleaning) to prevent tartar and plaque accumulation will help prevent your pet from developing oral health problems. This will also help eliminate halitosis or bad breath.
