Call (615) 451-0522 or click "Request Appointment"
to schedule your pet's dental cleaning.
Every month should be pet dental month.
We know that good oral care is very important to the overall health and comfort of our four-legged friends. The benefits of a healthy mouth go far beyond a beautiful smile and sweet smelling breath. Keeping the teeth clean with gums free of inflammation (gingivitis) decreases the spread of bacteria to the heart, kidneys, and liver thus helping to prevent damage to these vital organs. Maintaining a healthy and pain-free mouth is one of the most important and often one of the easiest preventative health care benefits we can provide our pets. Providing a combination of at-home dental care (tooth brushing, dental chews) and regular professional dental cleanings under anesthesia can maintain a healthy and pain-free mouth and minimize the impact of dental disease.
We know that good oral care is very important to the overall health and comfort of our four-legged friends. The benefits of a healthy mouth go far beyond a beautiful smile and sweet smelling breath. Keeping the teeth clean with gums free of inflammation (gingivitis) decreases the spread of bacteria to the heart, kidneys, and liver thus helping to prevent damage to these vital organs. Maintaining a healthy and pain-free mouth is one of the most important and often one of the easiest preventative health care benefits we can provide our pets. Providing a combination of at-home dental care (tooth brushing, dental chews) and regular professional dental cleanings under anesthesia can maintain a healthy and pain-free mouth and minimize the impact of dental disease.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is defined as the destruction of tooth attachment (periodontal ligament and jaw bone), caused by bacteria. It begins when bacteria form on teeth in a substance called plaque. If plaque is not removed immediately, two things occur. First, the plaque is calcified by the minerals in saliva to become calculus (or tartar). This is the brown substance on teeth that many people mistakenly equate with periodontal disease, but the truth is that calculus does not result in periodontal disease. The other thing that occurs with chronic plaque formation is that it will start to move under the gumline. Once the plaque gets under the gum, it starts causing inflammation, which is called gingivitis. Gingivitis is the initial, reversible form of periodontal disease. If this inflammation is not controlled, the bacteria within the gingiva change to a more virulent type. These more virulent species create more severe inflammation. Eventually, the body responds to this inflammation. Part of this response is bony destruction, which continues until the tooth is lost. However, in most cases periodontal disease causes problems long before this happens. |
When is a pet too old to have a dental cleaning?
NEVER! Healthy pets, even when they're older, handle anesthesia quite well. Age does increase the possibility that the patient will have some degree of organ malfunction, and those with systemic problems will be at an increased risk. Therefore, we recommend pre-operative testing on all patients prior to anesthesia. The important organs include the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs. Recommended tests include a complete blood panel and cbc. |