Why does my pet need a dental cleaning, and how often should this be done?

Dental disease involves more than just bad breath. Approximately 80% of patients that visit us on a daily basis need a professional teeth cleaning. When bacteria irritates the gum line, the gums become inflamed in the early phases of the disease, which then causes gingivitis. If left untreated, this leads to periodontal disease, which causes loss of the bone support structure of the tooth and subsequent tooth loss.

In addition, the bacteria is consistently released into the blood stream allowing for systemic infections. These infections may cause organs, such as kidney, liver, and heart to function improperly. How often your pet needs his/her teeth cleaned varies based on before many factors. Your pet’s teeth and mouth should be examined on a regular basis by one of our veterinarians. Based on those exams, we will create a dental health care protocol specifically designed for your pet.