Pet Dental Care Eliminates Bad Breath & Other Oral Problems
At Beaver Brook Animal Hospital, we embrace a whole health approach to your pet’s healthcare. And that approach includes their oral hygiene! According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some form of periodontal disease by the age of 3, but the disease is entirely preventable. How? With consistent pet dental care from our professional veterinary team.
Regular dental evaluations are essential to your pet’s continued oral health.
Request an appointment for a dental evaluation today!
What is Periodontal Disease?
Does your pet’s breath stink? Are their teeth looking discolored and their gums red? They could have periodontal disease. Dental disease develops from the accumulation of plaque and tartar on your pet’s teeth, which harbor bacteria that slowly break down the tooth enamel and bone. The disease not only affects your pet’s teeth and gums but their quality of life by making it difficult and painful to eat and play with their favorite toys. If left untreated, the disease could cause other health problems by spreading to their internal organs.
Our Dental Cleaning Procedures
Even though your pet may have dental disease, it’s possible to treat and even reverse its effects if caught early enough. When in stage one of dental disease, a dental cleaning procedure can completely restore your pet’s dental health. With later stages of the disease, however, the damage can be irreversible. That’s why it’s of paramount importance to bring your cat or dog in for a dental evaluation and cleaning sooner rather than later.
Our dental cleaning procedures include:
- Digital dental X-rays to assess any periodontal pockets, bone loss, and root damage
- Physical dental evaluation and charting
- Ultrasonic scaling of each tooth both above and below the gum line
- Polishing of the tooth enamel to reduce future tartar buildup
- Laser therapy on the gums to reduce any pain and inflammation
For more severe cases of periodontal disease, it may be necessary to extract certain teeth that have broken, become loose, or are otherwise damaged. We’ll always check with you first before we perform an extraction. Additionally, your pet will receive laser therapy immediately following the procedure and we’ll also give them pain medication after the procedure to minimize their discomfort.
General Anesthesia Required
Due to the intensive nature of dental cleanings, general anesthesia is necessary to reduce your pet’s stress and ensure their safety. Before the procedure, we perform a pre-anesthetic exam and blood work to confirm that your pet is healthy and fit for a dental cleaning. We’ll also closely monitor your pet’s vitals with the latest equipment to track any changes and address them quickly and efficiently.
The Best Way to Keep Your Dog’s or Cat’s Teeth Healthy
You can help slow the progression of periodontal disease with proper home care. The best way to keep your dog’s or cat’s teeth clean is by brushing them. After your pet’s dental cleaning, we’ll send you home with enzymatic toothpaste that has anti-bacterial properties and helps to reduce bad breath. Even if your pet is already older and less accustomed to teeth brushing, you can still successfully train them to accept it with a lot of patience and help from our skilled team if needed!
Other options for at-home dental care include:
- Dental chews
- Dental wipes
- Oral gels and rinses
- Prescription dental diets
Schedule an appointment today for your pet’s dental health check-up so we can restore their oral health and eliminate bad breath!