Did you know:
From the time your pet eats a meal until the time tartar starts to calcify on their teeth is only 48-72 hours? Once tartar is calcified the only way to remove it is with a professional cleaning.
The bacteria that thrives in your pet’s mouth can infiltrate their heart, liver and kidneys through the bloodstream by way of bleeding and inflamed gums?
There are things you can do at home to promote your pet’s dental health?
Here are some of the ways you can keep your pet’s teeth healthy:
Good to Chew: Giving your cat or dog a CET chew after a meal will coat their teeth with a dual enzyme system to control plaque and eliminate bacteria build-up. Greenies dental chews are also a good choice to help reduce plaque and tartar build-up.
Better to Rinse: Using a Chlorhexadine oral rinse once daily for dogs and cats will help prevent plaque accumulation.
Best to Brush: The best thing you can do for your pet’s teeth at home is to brush them at least once every other day (daily is even better!) using an appropriate cat or dog toothbrush and an enzymatic toothpaste made specifically for animals.
Diet: There are also specialized diets available for pets that promote healthy teeth and gums. The two that we recommend are Hill’s Prescription diet T/D (available only through veterinarians) or any Eukanuba dry pet food with the MCC system (available at most pet stores).
OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel: Once a barrier sealant is applied to your pet’s teeth you can begin doing a weekly application of this gel to prevent plaque and tartar forming bacteria from attaching to your pet’s teeth.
Professional Cleaning: A professional cleaning is done under anesthesia. Anesthesia is necessary so that the calculus that has formed under the gum line as well as on the crown of the tooth can be removed. Once cleaned, the teeth are polished and treated with a fluoride foam and OraVet sealant.
Dental radiographs: If any abnormalities are noted during the cleaning dental radiographs are required. The radiographs allow us to view the tooth root and surrounding bone. After reviewing the radiographs, the veterinarian can determine if a tooth is damaged and needs further treatment.
For more information or for pricing on a professional cleaning, call us at 301-631-6900.
