Your pet has been diagnosed with dental disease and a dental cleaning has been recommended. While some pets may not show obvious symptoms, some of the signs of gingivitis and dental disease include:
--- Bad breath, drooling, difficulty chewing or eating, vomiting, gums swollen or red, gums may bleed, brownish-yellow calculus (tartar) on teeth, receded gums, a swelling on the face, and/or loose or missing teeth.
Dental disease not only affects your pet's mouth, causing pain and possibly tooth loss, but it also affects them systemically and can cause damage to other organs such as the heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys.
Your veterinarian is you pet's dentist, as well as their medical doctor. Ask if you have any questions about the health of your pet's mouth.
We recommend that the teeth be cleaned and polished and any diseased teeth be extracted. Scaling removes the plaque and tartar buildup. Polishing smoothes the surface of teeth to discourage plaque buildup. Modern veterinary dentistry allows us to safely anesthetize most pets to clean the teeth. Depending on your ability to brush the teeth, your pet may need its teeth professionally cleaned every 6 months to one year. Please talk to us today about scheduling a professional dental cleaning.
