Why Dentistry?

Veterinary dentistry maintains the health of your pet's teeth and gums in the same way visits to the dentist maintain the health of your own teeth and gums.

The main problem addressed in veterinary dentistry is the accumulation of dental calculus also referred to as dental tartar.

Various mineral salts, organic material and food particles combine together to form this nasty, smelly stuff called dental tartar and in the early stages of accumulation, the material is soft (plaque).  But later, the plaque hardens, adheres to the teeth, migrates under the gum and requires aggressive scaling to remove.

Without intervention, continual accumulation of tartar leads to severe inflammation of the gums and eventual gum recession and tooth loss.

At the same time, the breath becomes fetid and the mouth becomes a source of chronic infection.

This “periodontal disease” causes a host of other systemic problems including diarrhea, vomiting, pain, irritability, and unfortunately, premature organ failure.

Left untreated, tooth and gum disease facilitates the passage of bacteria into the bloodstream and this bacterial presence ultimately shortens the lifespan of your best friend.

Prevention Can Be Difficult

Prevention is always the best approach but brushing your pet's teeth can be quite difficult, if not impossible. So, try these tricks instead.

• Provide rawhide, hard rubber or hard treat foods.
• Add a teaspoon full of vinegar to your pet's water.
• Schedule regular dental check-ups yearly
• Schedule professional cleaning by your veterinarian when recommended.

Professional Dental Cleaning

Every professional dental cleaning includes a complete physical exam, teeth scaling, polishing, and antiseptic flushing.

Drop your pet off in the morning and plan on picking-up at the end of the day.

Unfortunately, professional dental cleaning requires anesthesia but the risk of doing nothing far outweighs the risk of anesthesia in most situations.

Overview of Veterinary Dental Procedure:

Here's how we perform a professional dental procedure.

• Laboratory testing to determine underlying organ dysfunction and anesthetic safety
• Use of light anesthesia to ensure pet comfort and thorough cleaning and treatment
• Scaling the teeth to remove tartar above and below the gum line with both hand instruments and ultrasonic cleaning equipment
• Polishing the teeth after scaling to “smooth down” the surfaces, increasing resistance to future plaque formation
• Antiseptic flushing to rid entire oral cavity of bacteria
• Fluoride coating to decrease tooth sensitivity, strengthen enamel, fight bacteria, and reduce future plaque formation