Keeping your pets happy and healthy means keeping up with their pet dental care routine!

Nobody likes to go the whole day without brushing their teeth, but that’s exactly what our pets do! Only they go much longer than that! It’s estimated that eighty percent of dogs and cats suffer from dental disease. So if your furry family members haven’t seen the dentist this year, chances are they could be part of that percentage.

Why regular teeth cleanings are so important

It’s not just bad breath that comes with gingivitis. When your dog or cat eats every day, that food, plaque and bacteria solidifies on the teeth causing a hard calculus to form. Over time, the gums will become inflamed and turn red. Eventually the ligaments holding the teeth in the jaw weaken, causing root abscesses and permanent damage to the teeth themselves. Finally, all that bacteria building up can end up in your pet’s bloodstream, which can cause heart and kidney problems.

What takes place in a teeth cleaning?

Well, it’s really similar to a person getting their teeth cleaned, with one exception, the pet goes under general anesthesia. Plaque is then removed from the surface of the teeth with an ultrasonic dental scaler. Then a dental pick is used to remove tartar from between teeth and the gum line. Finally the teeth are polished and a gel is applied to help slow the formation of tartar in the future. This can all be done in one day, with only minimal stress for the pet.

What you can do in between cleanings

To help keep your pet’s teeth in tip top shape between cleanings, there are a couple of things we suggest doing. You can use a pet safe toothbrush and toothpaste to “brush” your dog or cat’s teeth a couple of times a week. You can also give them dental chew treats or antlers to keep tartar from forming on their teeth. Many people also like to give a pet dental care product that is added to the pet’s drinking water. There are so many ways to keep those puppy or kitten kisses fresh and clean!