Pet Dental Care

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.

Just like us, our furry companions need to have their teeth professionally cleaned and examined from time to time. In fact, routine pet dental care is an important investment in your pet’s overall health. Pet dental care in Chino Valley helps keep your cat or dog looking and feeling their best, and it’s an important step in ensuring your companion’s overall health and well-being.

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

WHAT DOES A DENTAL CLEANING ENTAIL?

We offer comprehensive pet dental care in Prescott, and we will help you determine which services are right for your companions. Our veterinary team offers a standard scale and polish under anesthesia to keep your pet’s teeth clean and healthy, as well as tooth extractions and other oral surgeries. Our expert pet dental care options provide the best service at an affordable price, including full-mouth digital x-rays. For routine dental cleanings, we also apply Oravet plaque prevention to keep your pet’s teeth plaque-free longer.

why is pet dental care important?

Periodontal disease is common in aging pets and causes much more than just unpleasant breath. It can lead to infection, difficulty eating, and behavioral issues. It can even lead to problems in other parts of the body. While some animals and breeds are more susceptible to problems than others, it is important to seek routine dental care to avoid serious health issues, like heart and kidney disease, and to ensure that your pet is not experiencing pain or discomfort.

Pet dental care is about so much more than giving your dog or cat a photo-ready smile. Without proper pet dental care in Prescott Valley, animals are susceptible to periodontal disease that can lead to problems ranging from mouth pain and difficulty eating to organ disease.

WHY ARE DENTAL X-RAYS IMPORTANT?

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.

WHAT IS THE ORAL HEALTH PROCEDURE?

STEP 1: SUPRAGINGIVAL CLEANING

The tartar and plaque that is visible above the gum line is removed so that all surfaces of each tooth may be visualized.

STEP :2 SUBGINGIVAL CLEANING

This is cleaning the area under the gum line. In our animal patients, this is the most important step. The subgingival plaque and calculus is what causes periodontal disease. This is the most common ailment diagnosed in ALL animal patients. Cleaning the tooth surface above the gum line will make the teeth look nice, but in reality does little medically for the patient.

STEP 3: ASSESSMENT

The veterinarian evaluates the entire oral cavity and records any abnormalities on a special dental record. Some examples of oral abnormalities are: tongue or lip lesions, deep pockets in the gums around the teeth and loose, broken or discolored teeth.

STEP 4: RADIOGRAPHS

Radiographs are taken of every tooth in the mouth to discover problems, such as retained roots, enamel defects, root abscesses and bone loss due to infection.

STEP 5: POLISHING

The mechanical removal of the plaque and calculus causes microscopic roughening of the tooth surface. This roughening increases the retentive ability of the tooth for plaque and calculus. Polishing will smooth the surface and decrease the adhesive ability of plaque.

STEP 6: SUB-GINGIVAL LAVAGE

The scaling and polishing of the teeth will cause a lot of debris to become trapped under the gums. This will cause local inflammation, as well as increase the chance of future periodontal disease. For this reason, we gently flush the gingiva with an antibacterial solution.

STEP 7: FLUORIDE TREATMENT

The benefit of fluoride is that it strengthens enamel, decreases tooth sensitivity and is reported to slow the formation of Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions thanks to its anti-plaque qualities. Fluoride can be toxic if swallowed by dogs and cats; therefore, we carefully remove any excess fluoride from the mouth before waking your pet.

STEP 8: TREATMENTS

If any abnormalities were found during the assessment and radiographs, various treatments may be recommended. Some examples of treatments are: tooth extraction, bonded sealants of fractures and local antibiotic treatment of pockets around the teeth. The veterinarian will explain any abnormalities and discuss treatment options. We are happy to provide an estimate at each stage of this procedure.

STEP 9: PREVENTION

Prevention is one of the most important parts of the oral hygiene procedure.