Why Pet Dental Health Matters: Beyond Fresh Breath
There’s more to veterinary dental care than pet breath freshness—much more, in fact, and to help pet families understand the oral health connection to pet wellness, our team at Cherry Creek Animal Hospital is here with a primer on pet dental health importance.
Dental Health and Overall Health: The Oral Health Connection
When it comes to your pet’s dental hygiene, the impact goes far beyond the teeth and gums. Without proper pet oral care, the bacteria in your pet’s mouth starts to accumulate. From there, it spreads through the bloodstream and can wreak havoc on the organs, including the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Without proper dental disease prevention, periodontal disease can develop fairly early in a pet’s life—as young as three years old—and it can escalate quickly in senior pets, so it’s important to make pet oral care part of your regular pet wellness routine. Most pet health insurance policies offer dental care as add-on coverage.
Signs of Dental Problems in Pets
Dental disease prevention is always best, but even with the most diligent dental hygiene, our pets can experience dental problems. Your veterinarian will examine your pet’s mouth at every wellness visit to look for obvious signs of dental disease, but please contact us right away if your furry companion presents with any of these symptoms of dental problems in pets:
- Persistent foul breath
- Broken, missing, or loose teeth
- Trouble chewing
- Swollen or bleeding gums
- Lumps inside the mouth
- Pawing or rubbing at the mouth
Professional Pet Dental Care
Expert dental care is one of the cornerstones of good health. A comprehensive dental exam under general anesthesia is the best way to provide dental disease prevention, which includes thoroughly cleaning and scaling the teeth, taking digital dental X-rays, and performing extractions when necessary. We follow the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) guidelines for anesthesia and monitoring during dental procedures.
At-home Dental Hygiene for Pets
Once your pet has had a professional cleaning, you will be amazed at how clean and healthy your pet’s mouth is. Here are some at-home dental hygiene tips for maintaining those pearly whites and pet breath freshness:
- Brush your pet’s teeth on a regular basis using dental hygiene products made just for pets. (We are happy to demonstrate proper teeth brushing techniques at your pet’s visit)
- Offer your pet vet-approved dental chews or treats
- Ask us about dental additives for your pet’s water bowl
Raising Dental Health Awareness
Pet oral care ranks right up there with fitness and nutrition, mental stimulation, and regular pet wellness checkups. Protect your pet’s smile and your pet’s health! Please contact us to schedule a dental examination or if you have any questions about pet dental health importance.