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Just like humans, pets’ teeth need looking after too! The health of their teeth and gums has a significant impact on their overall quality of life. Imagine how your mouth would feel, and smell, if you never brushed your teeth. Imagine having a really bad toothache and not being able to tell anyone about it!
DENTAL HEALTH CARE
DENTAL CARE
WHAT IS DENTAL DISEASE?
Oral bacteria, combined with saliva and food debris, can cause plaque to accumulate on the tooth. Over the course of only a few days,plaque calcifies and turns to tartar (brown or yellow material starting near the gum line of the tooth). Without proper preventive or therapeutic care, plaque and tartar build-up leads to periodontal disease, which is inflammation and infection that affects the tissues and structures supporting the teeth. Periodontal disease can cause oral pain, tooth loss and even heart or kidney problems.
Common signs of dental disease, in order of severity, include:
Yellow-brown tartar around the gumline
Inflamed, red gums
Bad breath
Change in eating or chewing habits (especially in cats)
Pawing at the face or mouth
Excessive drooling
Pain or bleeding when you touch the gums or mouth
If your pet is showing any of these signs of dental disease please book an appointment to see one of our veterinarians. Early assessment and action can save your pet’s teeth!
HOW CAN I PREVENT DENTAL DISEASE?
Long-term control and prevention of dental disease requires regular home care. The best way to begin this is to accustom your pet from an early age. Dental home care may include:
Brushing teeth daily - just like us! This is the best form of dental hygiene. Pet toothbrushes and toothpaste are now available. Please do not use human toothpaste formulas on your pet as they are not designed to be swallowed and may be toxic.
Feed pets raw meaty bones or special dental diets. This can help reduce the accumulation of tartar.
Use dental toys, enzymatic chews, or teeth cleaning biscuits, all of which may help keep the teeth clean
Regular and frequent attention to your pet’s teeth may avoid the need for a professional dental clean under anaesthetic, and will also improve your pet’s overall health.
DENTAL PROCEDURE
If your pet shows signs of periodontal disease, your vet may recommend a professional dental procedure, which involves a full oral examination with scale and polishing and possible extractions. It is much the same as what is done in the human world, however, unlike us, our pets won’t sit still to open their mouth to allow a comprehensive cleaning of their teeth. For this reason our pets need to have a general anaesthetic for a veterinarian to perform a complete mouth exam, dental radiographs, a scale and polish and assess the degree of dental disease to determine if extractions are necessary. These steps are performed in stages.
What Is A Staged Dental?
A ‘staged dental’ involves dividing the dental procedure into multiple stages. Similar to how human dentists work. During stage 1, we will conduct a comprehensive oral examination while your pet is under anaesthesia, followed by an ultrasonic scale and polish. This includes full-mouth dental x-rays to assess the health of each tooth, including the roots. It helps us determine which teeth require treatment or potential extraction. With this information, we will be able to formulate a treatment plan and provide an accurate estimation of the costs for potential further dental procedures. Minor treatments, like scale and polishing, will be performed during stage 1. Extensive dental work, like extractions, will be scheduled for stage 2, on another day. This gives your pet an overall shorter anaesthetic time and allows the gums time to heal before extractions take place.
A ‘staged dental’ involves dividing the dental procedure into multiple stages. Similar to how human dentists work. During stage 1, we will conduct a comprehensive oral examination while your pet is under anaesthesia, followed by an ultrasonic scale and polish. This includes full-mouth dental x-rays to assess the health of each tooth, including the roots. It helps us determine which teeth require treatment or potential extraction. With this information, we will be able to formulate a treatment plan and provide an accurate estimation of the costs for potential further dental procedures. Minor treatments, like scale and polishing, will be performed during stage 1. Extensive dental work, like extractions, will be scheduled for stage 2, on another day. This gives your pet an overall shorter anaesthetic time and allows the gums time to heal before extractions take place.
DENTAL STAGE 1
A stage 1 dental procedure includes a full oral examination, probing and charting each tooth to check gum health, and oral radiographs (X-rays) to detect issues below the gumline, deeper in the roots of the teeth and jaw bone. Tartar and plaque are then carefully removed through scaling and the teeth are polished to help prevent future build-up. With the dental chart, we will carefully map all of your pet’s teeth and make note of their condition. Your vet will use this information to formulate a plan for your pet’s dental care and treatments.
Dental procedures help detect early dental disease, prevent pain and infection, and support overall health. It is performed under anesthesia for safety and comfort, and most pets benefit from an annual dental assessment.
Why Are Dental X-rays So Important?
Unlike humans, our pets can’t tell us what hurts. Dental x-rays allow us to see the health of the teeth above and below the gumline up into the jaw bone. They are crucial for several reasons:
Detection of problems beneath the gum line and within tooth structures that may not be visible during a standard oral examination. This includes: impactions, fractures and abscesses.
Root assessment, which is critical for determining whether extraction is necessary or if treatment can preserve the tooth.
Monitoring progress and serving as a baseline for future comparison, enabling veterinarians to monitor changes in dental health over time.
Jaw bone evaluation, which is essential for diagnosing conditions like periodontal disease and tumours involving the bones of the jaw;
Creating effective and efficient treatment plans. Providing all diagnostic information to tailor dental procedures to each pet’s specific needs, while providing accurate cost estimation to our clients.
DENTAL STAGE 2 - EXTRACTIONS
A stage 2 visit will only be necessary if the vet finds need for teeth to be extracted. We will be able to provide you with an accurate cost estimate for this. Stage 2 must be performed within 4 weeks of stage 1, to ensure no further changes can occur and our treatment plan remains suitable. We aim to address your pet’s dental disease within a timely manner.
And Why Can’t This Be Done In One Visit?
Anaesthetic safety and clarity on costs. Did you know it’s riskier for a pet to undergo one prolonged anaesthesia session compared to several shorter ones?
This is because during anaesthesia, animals can experience physiological changes such as decreased body temperature, lowered blood pressure, and fluctuations in cardiac rhythm. By dividing the procedures into shorter sessions, bodily stress is reduced, ensuring the safety of your cherished pet.
With staged dental procedures, we provide comprehensive diagnostics and efficient treatment plans, which will result in better health for your pet and no surprises for our clients at discharge time.
