What Is Dental Disease?
Dental disease is caused by a buildup of tartar and plaque on your pet’s teeth. This buildup can allow bacteria to get under their gums and enter their bloodstream, and lead to more serious health problems. Pets need help maintaining their oral health and should have a dental checkup at least once a year, and periodic professional teeth cleanings.
It may be difficult to know when your pet needs to come in for a teeth cleaning. When we perform an oral exam, we look for the following symptoms:
- Bad breath
- Red or swollen gums
- Excessive drooling
- Plaque or tartar buildup along the gum line
Managing Your Pet’s Dental Health
Many oral problems can be missed because they are concealed below the gum line. For our team to find any potential issues, your pet will need to be fully sedated so we can perform a comprehensive assessment. This allows us to properly examine each tooth and check under the gums.