Dental Care
Your pet’s oral cavity is the gateway to their overall physical health. When their teeth and gums become infected, this can affect their entire body. To keep the pets of White House and surrounding neighborhoods healthy, we work hard to educate and instruct pet owners in proper dental care habits. Our pets do not have the ability to brush their teeth or visit the dentist on their own. Therefore, you need to maintain their pearly whites just like you maintain your own.
One of the most common conditions we see in pets is gum disease, a severe oral infection that targets the teeth and surrounding tissues below the gum line. The American Veterinary Dental College has found that a majority of cats and dogs will have varying signs of gum disease by age three. With our complete dog and cat teeth cleaning services, we can effectively treat and prevent gum disease.
Pet Dental Care in Our State-of-the-Art Dental Suite!
For professional dental care, your pet needs to see their veterinarian regularly. During their yearly visits, we will examine their teeth and determine if a cleaning will be needed. Before their scheduled dental, we will also run blood work to make sure your pet is healthy. We can provide the following services during the dental procedure:
- Dental prophylactic cleanings that involve removing hardened calculus both above and below the gum line, and polishing each tooth surface to slow future plaque and tartar buildup
- Thorough oral exams including full-mouth digital x-rays in which we check each tooth and its surrounding gum tissue for signs of infection and/or decay
- Extractions to remove loose, decaying and/or broken teeth
- Administration of antibiotics and pain management
Before, During & After Dog Teeth Cleaning
Before:
Notice the severe build-up of tartar and red, inflamed gums. This is painful and a source of bad breath. Regretfully all too often we see pets with similar or even worse mouths.
Digital x-rays:
Reveal diseased bone no longer fully attached to the teeth.
During:
ultrasonic scaling of dental tartar further reveals exposed tooth roots due to diseased, receding gums.
After thorough cleaning – notice the exposed tooth roots
After:
Removal of the diseased teeth means no more chronic oral pain for this pet.
Does Your Dog or Cat Have Gum Disease?
Gum disease is not always easy to catch, especially in its earliest stages. However, there are certain physical signs you can look for in your pet, such as:
- Excessive drooling
- Swollen, bright red gums
- Teeth that appear yellow or brown
- Loose or broken teeth
- Bad breath
- Pawing at the mouth
- Swelling around the face
- Lack of activity
- No interest in playing with chew toys
- Difficulty chewing, dropping food from mouth
If left untreated, gum disease can progress and affect not only the mouth but the heart, liver and kidneys as well. Gum disease is easily preventable with routine professional and at-home care. Contact Orchard Park Animal Hospital today at (615) 672-4200 so we can help you improve your pet’s oral health!
Dog & Cat Teeth Cleaning at Home
In addition to our professional services, it’s important to maintain a dental care routine at home, too. Your pet’s teeth need daily upkeep just as much as yours do, and brushing their teeth can make a big difference for their oral health. If brushing is not an option, we offer OraVet Dental Hygiene chews. When chewed, these treats release a substance that forms a barrier over the teeth, tongue and gingiva to protect against bacteria and bad breath. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for additional home care recommendations.
Pet Dental Care in White House, TN
We would be glad to help you make the healthiest decisions for your pet’s care. Call us today at (615) 672-4200 or fill out our Make an Appointment form to make a dental care appointment for your pet.
