How proper pet dental care can improve your pet’s overall health?

Pet dental care is a vital aspect of maintaining the overall health of your furry friend. Neglecting your pet’s dental hygiene can lead to serious health problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, and infections that can spread to other parts of the body. Regular dental care for your pet not only helps to keep their teeth and gums healthy, but it can also improve their overall quality of life.

Signs of Dental Disease include:

• – Bad breath
• – Loose/Broken teeth
• – Painful and bleeding mouth
• – Refusal or inability to eat and drink
• – Drooling

Here’s why your pet need regular dental care:

1. Preventing oral pain associated with severe periodontal disease and inflammation of gums.
2. Preventing bad breath. Bad breath is a sign of bacteria growing in the mouth.
3. Preventing loose tooth. Infection in the mouth can eat up the structures supporting the tooth leading to loose tooth and finally tooth loss.
4. Preventing organ damage. The bacteria growing in mouth can lead to bacteremia and toxins in the body. These bacteria and toxics can affect other organs like heart, liver and kidneys leading to more diseases.
5. Preventing worsening dental disease. Without regular dental cleaning the dental disease keep on getting worst with time leading to further complications.

Here are some tips for maintaining your pet’s dental health:

1. Brush their teeth regularly – Brushing your pet’s teeth daily is the best way to keep their teeth clean and prevent plaque buildup. It is recommended to use a toothbrush designed specifically for pets and toothpaste that is formulated for their use. Do not use human toothpaste as it can be harmful to your pet. Start brushing gradually, get your pet used to the sensation, and gradually increase the amount of time spent brushing.
2. Feed them a balanced diet – A healthy diet plays a crucial role in maintaining your pet’s dental health. Hard kibble can help to scrape away plaque and tartar buildup while soft and wet food can stick to your pet’s teeth and contribute to plaque formation. A balanced diet with a combination of dry and wet food can help to maintain good oral health.
3. Provide chew toys and bones – Chewing is an excellent way for your pet to naturally clean their teeth and massage their gums. Offer your pet a variety of chew toys to keep their jaws and teeth healthy.
4. Regular dental checkups – Regular dental checkups with your veterinarian are essential to identify any dental problems early and prevent serious health issues from developing. Your veterinarian can clean your pet’s teeth, remove plaque and tartar buildup, and perform any necessary extractions or treatments.

How is dental cleaning done?

In dogs and cats dental cleaning is done under general anesthesia. Before anesthesia blood tests and a through physical exam are done to make sure anesthesia is safe for the pet. Once the pet is under anesthesia, oral cavity and teeth are examined in detail. Tartar is removed and teeth are cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler. Once cleaned another dental exam is done with the probe to check for the cavities and loose teeth.

Any teeth that can be discomfort for the pet and can not be fixed is extracted. Your pet may go home on some medicines including antibiotics and pain medicines depending on the severity of the dental disease. Finally, teeth are polished and covered with antiseptic solution and pet is waken up from anesthesia. You pet will need to stay in our clinic for the day for this whole procedure.

What is dental awareness month?

Every year, February is dedicated as pet dental health awareness month across the country. Just like people, oral health is very important for overall wellbeing of the pets. Any pet that comes for dental cleaning needs to be up-to-date on vaccines. If your pet is not up-to-date on the vaccines, we can give vaccines on same day on discretion of our doctor.

In conclusion, taking care of your pet’s dental health is crucial for their overall well-being. Regular brushing, feeding a balanced diet, providing chew toys, and regular dental checkups are essential to maintaining your pet’s dental hygiene. By following these tips, you can help to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy and prevent serious health problems from developing