Annual wellness exams are important for assessing overall health of your pet and dental status. Recommendations are made annually based on current physical exam findings.

Preventative dental care: There are many measures that can be taken at home to prevent dental disease from occurring or progressing.

1. Routine brushing of teeth- this will delay tartar build-up and promote gingival health
2. Dental health treats- these chews or treats given on a regular basis can help delay tartar build-up and slow progression of dental disease.
3. Oral hygiene rinse and water additives- contains plaque-fighting agent and antiseptic.
4. Dental diets- specially formulated kibbles to clean teeth while chewing.

Dental disease: Dental disease can be manifested in many ways. The physical exam will allow the disease to be graded and treatment recommendations implemented. Dental disease is important to treat, because it can lead to many secondary problems. It can cause issues, such as halitosis, gingivitis/periodontitis which causes pain and leads to infection. It can also adversely affect internal organ function of the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Physical exam findings of dental disease:

1. Tartar and plaque build-up
2. Gingivitis (gum swelling)
3. Broken/fractured teeth
4. Loose or mobile teeth
5. Obvious infection/presence of puss

Treatment under anesthesia:

1. Dental cleaning includes scaling of tartar above and below gum line and polishing the teeth.
2. Then fluoride and a sealer are applied to teeth.Infected/fractured or mobile teeth are extracted.
3. Pockets are cleaned and typically sutured closed.
4. Referral to a veterinary dentist is an option for root canals or other salvage procedures to save a tooth.
5. Post-dental care might be antibiotics and pain medications.

Start or continue preventative dental measures!

Here are some before and after pictures.