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Just like us, our pets need regular dental care as well! Your pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by your veterinarian to detect early signs of dental concerns and keep your pet’s mouth healthy. Undetected and untreated dental problems in pets, just like humans, can lead to more severe issues like lung, heart, and kidney disease.
As part of our routine physical examinations, we perform dental assessments and recommend a professional dental cleaning if needed.
Dental cleanings are needed every one to three years, depending on your animal’s breed and tartar build up to prevent tooth infection, pain, and periodontal disease. Because we can’t ask our pets to stay still for their cleaning, all cleanings are performed under general anesthesia. We do not recommend anesthesia free dental cleanings, as they are not effective in cleaning below the gumline where most dental disease occurs.
During a dental cleaning, we perform radiographs (x-rays) of all the teeth to ensure all tooth roots are evaluated, remove all the tartar – both visible and below the gums – and finally polish those new pearly whites. If any teeth are showing signs of decay or infection, we will discuss dental extractions with you as indicated.
Hoffman Animal Hospital veterinarians all have completed specialized training in dental surgery to safely perform dental extractions, mass removal, and gingival resection (gingivectomy).
Preventive Dental Care
Brushing your pet’s teeth daily is the single most important thing you can do to prevent plaque and tartar build-up. If you have a pet that won’t tolerate brushing, our veterinarians can also recommend products that will help keep your pet’s mouth healthy in between cleanings.
