Pet Dental Care in Fort Washington, MD

We recommend having your pet’s teeth checked and cleaned at least 

ONCE A YEAR.

Dental care is an important and often overlooked factor in keeping your pet healthy and happy. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by three years of age. Consistent home dental care and routine professional examinations can help prevent problems like bad breath or oral infections.

SIGNS YOUR PET NEEDS DENTAL CARE

Our pets are living longer now than in the past.  In addition, we have better preventive medicine and better ways to diagnose and treat many diseases. Dental Health Care is extremely important. Dental disease is the number one cause of heart disease and kidney disease in the dog and the number three cause in the cat. Millions of bacteria live in tartar and enter the bloodstream from the gums and spread directly to the major organ of the body. Regular brushing with dog or cat tooth paste and regular professional dental care will help prevent periodontal, heart and kidney disease and improve the quality of your pet’s life.
Find Veterinary Oral Health Council approved products here.
 
To prevent dental disease, your pet needs routine dental care at home.  But to perform good home care, you need to start with clean teeth.  Brushing will remove plaque but not tartar (accumulated plaque), it will also not help clean the areas underneath the gum line.  The areas underneath the gum line are the true areas of concern, and the place where dental disease, gum irritation and bad breath starts. 
 
Benefit of Dental Prophylaxis
  • Improves bad breath
  • Helps prevent toothaches, and abscesses
  • Pets with healthy mouths live longer
    • The infection in the mouth sheds bacteria in to the bloodstream.  If the body is unable to fight the bacteria and eliminate it severe disease can occur.  More often than we like to think the bacteria will find its way to the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and cause damage.  If the bacterium happens to attack the heart the infection can become fatal.
There are many different ways to check and see if your pet may be having dental issues, but there are also signs that may not be as visible. Here are some things to keep an eye (or nose) out for:

Bad breath

Broken, loose, or missing teeth

Discoloration or tartar build up

Excessive chewing or drooling

Reduced appetite or inability to chew

Swelling and bleeding in or around the mouth

Common Pet Dental Care Questions

Once the pet’s health has been thoroughly assessed by the doctor’s exam and laboratory data (i.e., blood work), an IV catheter is placed. The IV catheter is important to deliver the safest forms of anesthesia as well as IV fluids that support blood pressure and remove toxins caused by bacteria from the blood stream. If significant gingivitis is present, an injectable dose of antibiotics will be given prior to the procedure to protect the bloodstream and begin the healing phase. In most cases, only a light plane of general anesthesia is required. Once under general anesthesia, a complete exam of the mouth will be done, searching for pockets of bone loss, loose or broken teeth and tumors. The entire crown of each tooth is cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler instrument, and then a root-planing procedure is done to remove the bacteria and plaque under the gum line. When all the debris has been removed, the crown of each tooth receives both a polishing and a fluoride treatment. It is also recommended to apply a sealant to the enamel to aid with its protection.

Dental radiology (i.e., dental x-rays) is an essential tool in both humans and pets to complete the dental assessment and generate an acceptable therapeutic plan. Because 50% of each tooth is below the gum line, it is not possible to examine the entire tooth using any other method. We recommend full mouth films for every pet, every dental procedure just like your dentist does for you.  X-rays will uncover any hidden painful disease, such as root abscesses, root fractures, severe bone loss of the jaw and cystic lesions, so that they can be corrected during the procedure. Dental x-rays are especially imperative in pets due to their high tolerance of pain and inability to communicate it.

STEP 1: SUPRAGINGIVAL CLEANING

The tartar and plaque that is visible above the gum line is removed so that all surfaces of each tooth may be visualized.

STEP 2: SUBGINGIVAL CLEANING

This is cleaning the area under the gum line. In our animal patients, this is the most important step. The subgingival plaque and calculus is what causes periodontal disease. This is the most common ailment diagnosed in ALL animal patients. Cleaning the tooth surface above the gum line will make the teeth look nice, but in reality does little medically for the patient.

STEP 3: ASSESSMENT

The veterinarian evaluates the entire oral cavity and records any abnormalities on a special dental record. Some examples of oral abnormalities are: tongue or lip lesions, deep pockets in the gums around the teeth and loose, broken or discolored teeth.

STEP 4: ADVANCED DENTAL IMAGING

Advanced Dental Imaging is taken of every tooth in the mouth to discover problems, such as retained roots, enamel defects, root abscesses and bone loss due to infection.

STEP 5: POLISHING

The mechanical removal of the plaque and calculus causes microscopic roughening of the tooth surface. This roughening increases the retentive ability of the tooth for plaque and calculus. Polishing will smooth the surface and decrease the adhesive ability of plaque.

STEP 6: SUB-GINGIVAL LAVAGE

The scaling and polishing of the teeth will cause a lot of debris to become trapped under the gums. This will cause local inflammation, as well as increase the chance of future periodontal disease. For this reason, we gently flush the gingiva with an antibacterial solution.

STEP 7: FLUORIDE TREATMENT

The benefit of fluoride is that it strengthens enamel, decreases tooth sensitivity and is reported to slow the formation of Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions thanks to its anti-plaque qualities. Fluoride can be toxic if swallowed by dogs and cats; therefore, we carefully remove any excess fluoride from the mouth before waking your pet.

STEP 8: TREATMENTS

If any abnormalities were found during the assessment and Dental Advanced Imaging, various treatments may be recommended. Some examples of treatments are: tooth extraction, bonded sealants of fractures and local antibiotic treatment of pockets around the teeth. The veterinarian will explain any abnormalities and discuss treatment options. We are happy to provide an estimate at each stage of this procedure.

STEP 9: PREVENTION

Prevention is one of the most important parts of the oral hygiene procedure.

Our pets have a strong natural instinct to hide pain, so this can be difficult to recognize. Many times they will mask the pain and owners may not even notice a difference in their pet’s eating or day-to-day routines. This is why our pets will continue eating, even if their teeth look or smell bad. Some lesser known indications of pain include increased licking, altered or heavy breathing, changes in posture, and changes in sleep habits.

WHY CHOOSE INDIAN HEAD ANIMAL HOSPITAL

We are well equipped for your pet’s dental care. We have a well-trained staff and the finest veterinary equipment, including: a Piazzo scaler, High Speed Rotary drill, Low Speed Dental Polisher, and many other modern and sophisticated equipment.  

Dental Digital Radiology: Our modern dental X-ray equipment provides high quality intraoral digital images to aid in the quick diagnosis of dental and oral disorders. Digital radiography also allows us to use less radiation. Our Laser Surgical Unit allows us to remove gum tumors, perform gingivectomies, and treat many serious oral lesions that are beyond the capabilities of many veterinary hospitals.

Get the best care for your best friend.

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