5 Common Questions about your pet’s teeth
Taking care of your pet’s teeth is just as important as taking care of your own. For people the most common issue we see is cavities however cavities, or tooth decay, only represent about 10% of all dental problems in pets. The most common issue found in cat’s and dog’s is periodontal disease, or gum disease, and this can become very painful or dangerous.
Why do I need to brush my pet’s teeth?
Unfortunately animals can’t brush their own teeth. We can give them all the dental treats and chews in the world but there’s nothing quite like brushing the teeth to ensure you are getting into every nook and cranny of your pet’s mouth. If we didn’t brush our pet’s teeth for them the bacteria in their mouth starts to form plaque on the teeth. If left un-brushed, plaque will mineralize into tartar. Tartar can build up above AND below the gum line making it very difficult to control on your own at home.
How often should I brush my pet’s teeth?
You should brush your pet’s teeth daily to ensure you are disrupting the bacteria that causes plaque and tartar to build up.
What can happen if I don’t brush my pet’s teeth?
If we aren’t brushing daily or bringing our pet’s to the vet for routine dental cleanings the bacteria in the mouth can cause lots of issues. Periodontal disease can be very painful for pets and cause abscesses or infections. If the bacteria has the chance to enter the pet’s bloodstream it can reach the heart and infect it. These infections can also lead to other organ damage as well.
Can the veterinarian clean my pet’s teeth?
Yes! We do routine and extensive dental cleanings all the time. The pet is put under anesthesia and the plaque and tartar is removed. If the pet has loose teeth or infected teeth the veterinarian will normally extract those as well to ensure they don’t cause any problems later.
Is pet dental work expensive?
It most definitely can be. While it seems dental work for humans is much cheaper we need to consider the the different circumstances compared from human to animal. When people have dental work done they are normally given a local anesthetic but animals are completely anesthetized to keep them asleep during the procedure. This is because sometimes pet’s cannot control their emotions or convey any pain they are feeling during these procedures. Another thing to consider is people generally have small amounts of work done at a time and will come back for more work later. With pet’s we do everything all at once so we don’t need to put your pet under anesthesia more than once and stress them out unnecessarily. While your pet is under anesthesia for dental work they clean the entire mouth, fully examine each tooth, remove and if needed, and even removed disease or overgrown gums.
While all of this information may be a little overwhelming, it is never too late to start taking care of your pet’s teeth properly. We recommend starting with a visit to your pet’s veterinarian to evaluate the teeth. They will determine if your pet needs a dental cleaning or if starting to brush their teeth now will help control and prevent anymore dental disease. Below are some products we recommend here at Colorado River Animal Medical Center:
- Animal toothbrush and toothpaste - Please make sure you are purchasing pet specific toothpaste and human toothpaste can be harmful. CET is the most popular pet dental health brand in the veterinary world and they are a great place to start your search for pet dental products.
- OraVet Chews - These chews are weight based and come in a bag of 30. OraVet Chews are meant to be given daily to reduce and prevent plaque and tartar build up. In the center of these chews is a medication called Delmopinol that helps create a barrier on the teeth to prevent any further build up on the teeth. These can be found for purchase on our store at the top of the top.
- Hill’s Science Diet t/d - This product is meant to be given as a treat and not replace your pet’s entire diet. We recommend giving 2-3 kibbles a day as a treat to help reduce plaque and tartar build up.