Arlington Veterinarian Incorporates Pet Dental Care Into a Comprehensive Pet Care Plan

At All Creatures Veterinary Services, our Arlington veterinarian provides pet dental care in addition to the general pet care that we provide. Pet dental care is extremely important, yet it is one of the services a lot of pet owners overlook. Many pet owners do not think dental care is required for pets. However, dental problems can lead to health problems so taking care of your pet’s teeth is crucial to keeping them healthy. Pet dental disease has negative effects on the mouth and if left untreated, some adverse health conditions that can be derived from oral disease include heart, lung and kidney disease. Research has shown that your dog or cat can show signs of oral disease as young as age 3, so pet dental preventative care and checkups are important for good health.

Pet Care Requires Regular Dental Cleaning and Examination

Arlington veterinarians will tell you that there are two major components of your pet’s dental care: oral examinations and dental cleanings. Your pet dental care routine should begin in the puppy and kitten stage of their lives. When minor problems such as missing or extra teeth, plaque accumulation and swelling or oral developmental problems occur they can be diagnosed and treated early. Veterinarians can perform basic oral examinations on pets while they are awake, while dental cleaning and extensive oral examinations typically require an anesthetic. Recommended procedures for dental care for pets include: dental radiographs, scaling and polishing and sealants and fluoride treatments.

Dental radiographs are x-rays of your pets’ teeth that can show any abnormalities in your pets’ mouth that cannot be detected visibly during the general examination. Scaling smoothes scratches in tooth enamel and a special toothpaste polishes the teeth. By using sealants and fluoride treatments, this can strengthen and desensitize your pets’ teeth to prevent future plaque build-up. Our veterinarian also examines your pet to make sure that they are healthy enough to undergo anesthesia when necessary and we monitor your pets’ vital signs to ensure the safety of your pet while they are under the anesthesia for more in-depth oral examinations and procedures.

Periodontal disease  is an oral disease commonly found. This disease is an infection in the tissue around the teeth. Periodontal disease starts out as a minor problem such as gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums which is caused by plaque or a mixture of bacteria, saliva, sugars and glycoproteins that leave a film on the surface of the teeth. When the bacteria dies and calcifies it forms a hard substance called tarter, which allows plaque to accumulate. When plaque and tarter are not treated in your dog or cat, infection can form around the tooth at the root. In the final stages of periodontal disease tissues around the teeth are destroyed and the bone holding the tooth erodes causing the tooth to come loose.

If pet owners take care of their pets’ teeth at home, then dental care will probably be more basic and the animal will stay healthier. Pet owners can keep their pets’ teeth healthy and strong by brushing regularly and having them examined by a veterinarian on a regular basis. However, brushing and caring for your pets’ teeth between visits to the vet is the best way to prevent oral diseases and tooth problems.

At All Creatures Veterinary Service, we offer dental exams and other veterinary dentistry services to provide excellent pet care for your household dog or cat. Arlington pet owners make your dental cleaning appointment today with our veterinarian and keep your pet’s teeth healthy and disease-free.