Dental Cleanings

What do you think would happen if you never brushed your teeth? Can you imagine having morning breath 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Just the thought of what can occur is enough to disgust most people. So why should our pets be any different? Dental care is just as important to our pets as it is to us and can even have some serious health risks if teeth go without regular care.

Periodontal disease affects 80% of the pet's seen in our practice. Once periodontal disease progresses it becomes harder to treat and can even become irreversible. How can we combat this destructive disease? Our best defenses against periodontal disease pets are daily home dental care along with routine dental exams and cleanings. This is very important especially for our pets that already have the contributing factors of older age and being of a certain breed.

Periodontal disease is more often a problem for smaller breeds of dogs and certain cat breeds. Sorry everyone, cats are just as susceptible to periodontal disease as dogs. Many times it is random luck which animals will have a predisposition to periodontal disease. You can influence this sometimes by feeding a good quality diet of hard food, daily use of pet formulated tooth paste, enzymatic dental chews, and using dental chew bones and toys.

WHAT PET OWNERS SHOULD LOOK FOR:

Bad Breath, Yellow or Brown Crust Around The Gum Line, Bleeding or Red Inflammed Gums, Change of Chewing or Eating Habits, Loose or Missing Teeth, Excessive Drooling, Behavior Change, Facial Swelling, Loss of Appetite, and Weight Loss.

TIPS ON BRUSHING YOUR PET'S TEETH:

Introduce a brushing program gradually; training your pet for this procedure may take several days or weeks.

Periodontal disease affects 80% of the pet's seen in our practice. Once periodontal disease progresses it becomes harder to treat and can even become irreversible.

At first, dip your finger into the toothpaste specifically designed for pets and rub your finger over the pet's mouth and teeth.

Make these initial sessions brief and positive.

Introduce gauze on your finger with the toothpaste and begin rubbing the teeth in a circular motion.

Use a finger brush initially, rather than a bristle brush.

Using a bristle brush and pet toothpaste, apply a small dab of toothpaste to a moist toothbrush and begin brushing gently.

DO NOT USE A TOOTHPASTE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE! It contains ingredients that are toxic to your pet and can cause vomiting.

Even if your pet is chewing on the toothbrush, he or she is still brushing their teeth! Just mixing the paste with their saliva will decrease the number of bacteria in their mouth. Any attempt is better than nothing!