We recommend having your pet’s teeth checked and cleaned at least
ONCE A YEAR.
Dental care is an important and often overlooked factor in keeping your pet healthy and happy. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by three years of age. Consistent home dental care and routine professional examinations can help prevent problems like bad breath or oral infections.
SIGNS YOUR PET NEEDS DENTAL CARE
There are many different ways to check and see if your pet may be having dental issues, but there are also signs that may not be as visible. This is why veterinarians recommend having your pet’s teeth checked annually. Here are some things to keep an eye (or nose) out for:
Bad breath
Broken, loose, or missing teeth
Discoloration or tartar build up
Excessive chewing or drooling
Reduced appetite or inability to chew
Swelling and bleeding in or around the mouth
Common Pet Dental Care Questions
Proper and routine dental care is a vital part of your pet’s wellness, yet it is oftentimes overlooked. Preventative dental cleanings can save you lots of money in future treatment costs for dental diseases—not to mention spare your pet the discomfort and pain. Periodontal disease and tooth infections are both extremely common diseases among cats and dogs that could be completely avoided with preventative pet dental care and regular pet teeth cleaning. Unfortunately, our pets have a hard time communicating discomfort with us, so tooth pain can go untreated for years. It’s hard to imagine our beloved pets feeling any kind of pain for so long.
At Woodland Animal Hospital, we proudly offer the most advanced pet dental care services for all of Henry County’s dogs and cats that will keep them smiling down the road.
The scary truth is that poor pet dental care can result in a shorter lifespan for our four-legged friends. You read that right. Neglecting our pets’ dental care can actually shorten their lives. Bacteria and tarter buildup in the mouth can directly affect the heart, liver and kidneys. Additionally, the risk lies not only in our older pets.
For a full pet dental exam, you are paying for crucial care for your furry loved one. If you chose to bring your pet to our facility for dental care, he or she will undergo:
- A physical and oral exam
- Calculus removal from the visible parts of the teeth
- Sub-gingival scaling, root planning and curettage
- Tooth polishing
- Irrigation
- Post-cleaning exam
- Charting to keep a record of abnormalities
- Home care (we’ll be sure to provide detailed instructions)
- Digital Dental Radiographs (recommended for all pets, optional for additional fee)
Dental radiology (i.e., dental x-rays) is an essential tool in both humans and pets to complete the dental assessment and generate an acceptable therapeutic plan. Because 50% of each tooth is below the gum line, it is not possible to examine the entire tooth using any other method. We recommend full mouth films for every pet, every dental procedure just like your dentist does for you. X-rays will uncover any hidden painful disease, such as root abscesses, root fractures, severe bone loss of the jaw and cystic lesions, so that they can be corrected during the procedure. Dental x-rays are especially imperative in pets due to their high tolerance of pain and inability to communicate it.
