Pet Dental Health and Your Furry Family
Providing proper pet dental health care is an important part of pet ownership. It requires time and a little patience, and above all, knowledge. Thankfully, you don’t have to know everything about caring for your pet’s teeth on your own. Beverly Hills Veterinary Associates is here to help.
Understanding Pet Dental Misconceptions
There is a lot of misinformation floating around the internet and pet care circles involving pet dental health. We would like to set the record straight on a few myths we need to bust regularly.
For the record:
- Stinky breath in your pet is not normal—any changes in your pet’s odor should be checked out as soon as possible
- Dry food provides no benefit to dental health over wet food (unless you are feeding a prescription dental diet)
- Chewing on bones and other hard objects like antlers can break teeth
- Most pets do not stop eating even if they have severe dental disease
When you have questions about your pet’s health, don’t hesitate to turn to us for advice. As your pet experts, we are happy to be a reliable resource for you.
The Dangers of Pet Dental Disease
Improper pet dental care can lead to periodontal disease, which can cause all sorts of trouble. Pet dental disease can certainly cause:
- Bad breath
- Bleeding, irritated gums
- Tooth loss
- Infection of local bone (this can lead to jaw fractures)
- Introduction of bacteria into the bloodstream (this can lead to heart or other major organ issues)
- Pain
- Systemic inflammation that can affect the overall immune system
Taking care of your pet’s teeth is about a whole lot more than pearly white teeth. It is an overall health issue.
Your Role in Pet Dental Health
So what does good pet dental care look like? You definitely have a role to play in your pet’s care.
Be sure to look at your pet’s mouth routine to be familiar with changes or new concerns as they pop us. You can also work towards daily tooth-brushing as a goal. Taking some time to make dental care part of your pet’s day to day grooming can really make an impact.
Using home care products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council can also provide a great benefit.
Our veterinary team will also play a big part in your pet’s dental health. Home care goes a long way, but just as you need to visit an actual dentist outside of normal toothbrushing, so does your pet.
Pet dental care provided at our hospital include:
- Annual oral exams: It is hard to see all of your pet’s oral cavity, and you are not trained to notice early signs of dental problems. Routine examination of your pet’s mouth at your annual wellness appointments helps us to catch problems early and make appropriate recommendations.
- Comprehensive dental cleanings: All pets need to have a thorough oral examination and cleaning under anesthesia periodically (most often annually). Anesthesia helps us to safely and better assess all parts of the mouth. We can also obtain good dental radiographs. During a pet dental cleaning and oral examination, an ultrasonic tooth scaling, polishing, and fluoride treatment are conducted as well as any necessary oral surgery like dental extractions.
Good pet dental health care both at home and at the veterinarian helps to ensure that your pet stays happy and healthy for a long time to come. Please contact us with any questions or concerns you might have so that we can get started helping your pet live their best life.