Routine dental exams and professional cleaning

During the exam room "Flip the Lip" exam, we are assessing

• Degree of tartar on all the teeth--not just the ones in front that everyone sees. We look "all" the way to back of the mouth.
• Gum health: Are the gums nice and pink or are they bright red or even oozing pus.
• Tooth root exposure
• Tooth fracture and root exposure

A professional cleaning for your pet is necessary to clean the teeth above and below the gum line. We also chart your pet's mouth. Each tooth is explored on all sides for any problems and the gums are checked. Any problems are put on a special dental chart and put in the record for any future reference. We do this when your pet is underanesthesia. General anesthesia is necessary because:

• It is safer for your pet!! The hand tools we use are very sharp and we are probing areas that will be painful to your pet.
• We are able to do our job completely and thoroughly.
• Teeth can be extracted, if necessary, at this time instead of making another appointment.
• The far back teeth can be properly cleaned and polished.
• All the teeth MUST be polished after being cleaned. This will smooth the surface of the teeth, making it harder for plaque to stick and become tartar.
• We also like to take before and after photos so you can see the transformation!

Pet dental care at home

Home dental care is an important cornerstone to good oral health of your pet. We can help you learn how to brush your pet's teeth and discuss any of the other options.

Home dental care includes:

• Brushing the teeth: You can use a regular, soft children's brush, a pet brush or finger brush. You can even use a washcloth. Wrap the cloth around a finger and use this to scrub the teeth.
• To be effective brushing needs to be done every day!
• Dental chews: There are many of these available. The most effective type has chlorhexidine embedded into the chew.
• Water additive: These help keep plaque from forming on the teeth. They often help when your pet has bad breath. These are very easy to use.