Dental Care
Did you know that over 70% of dogs and cats over two years of age have some form of dental disease? This makes oral health care very important for our pets. Oral care starts at home and can involve teeth brushing and dental diet food, as well as dental chews. Another component of good oral care is a dental prophylaxis, which is a procedure performed by your veterinarian. It involves a thorough oral examination under anesthetic, dental radiographs, and lastly scaling and polishing of all the teeth.
It is important for your pet to undergo anesthetic when undergoing a dental prophylaxis in order for it to be performed properly and safely. A thorough examination of every tooth as well as the oral cavity is completed first. This involves checking for any fractured teeth, dental disease, and any abnormalities in the mouth, such as growths or lesions. Next, radiographs of all teeth are taken. This step is very important and should be included in all dental prophylaxis procedures as 70% of dental disease can be found under the gum lime. Both dogs and cats have more than one root to some of their teeth. Radiographs allow us to see problems with the roots themselves such as fractures, abscesses or infections as well as view the bone and ligament surrounding each root to ensure it appears normal and healthy. If any abnormalities are found from either of these components of the dental prophylaxis, the appropriate steps can be taken to treat and manage the issue(s). Lastly, the scaling and polishing of your pet’s teeth is performed to remove plaque and tartar. An ultrasonic scaler is used to scale the teeth above and below the gum line. This helps keep the teeth clean, treat and reduce any gingivitis, and prevent dental disease.
Fractured teeth, dental infections, and dental disease are painful to your pet and can also have ill effects on their internal organs. Prevention with oral care at home, annual examinations with your veterinarian, and dental prophylaxis and are all important for your pet’s oral health. Dental prophylaxis performed by your veterinarian encompasses several different measures to ensure the oral health of your pet is at its best. Good oral care will help keep your pet happy, healthy and free from any oral pain!
Hammonds Plains Veterinary Hospital has a dedicated dental suite with dental radiography in order to provide dental prophylaxis as well as dental surgery. If you would like to discuss your pet’s oral care, please book an appointment or ask one of our veterinarians.