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Dental Cleaning
Not dealing with a pet's dental problems, like neglecting any infection, can lead to serious consequences. Prompt attention will make a pet more pleasurable to be around, prevent infection from spreading through the bloodstream into the liver, kidneys, and heart valves, help to prevent tooth loss, and prevent the pet from experiencing further pain. When your pet is in for a yearly health assessment, the veterinarian will evaluate your pet's oral health. If treatment is necessary, the pet's oral health will be graded as follows: |
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Grade 1 disease: initial gum disease and periodontitis |
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Grade 2 disease: early gum disease and periodontitis |
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Grade 3 disease: moderate gum disease and periodontitis |
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Grade 4 disease: advanced gum disease and periodontitis |
| Treatment will consist of a professional cleaning, polishing, and fluoride treatment of the teeth to prevent further damage, health risks, and pain. Also, in many gum disease cases, especially where Grade 3 or Grade 4 disease is evident, extraction of diseased teeth is often necessary to prevent further infection and pain. The difficulty of extracting various teeth depends on the size and number of roots a particular tooth has. Below are photos of two pets' teeth before and after cleaning.
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| Before | After |
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| Before | After |
| After treatment, it is important to continue preventive care at home.
Click here for canine dental care and here for feline dental care. |
