Services
Dental Cleaning
A dental cleaning is a preventative procedure to be performed under general anesthesia that aims to remove not just the buildup of dental tartar from the visible surface of the teeth but most importantly to decrease the load of bacteria under the gums leading to a more advanced disease.
The right age to start with a dental cleaning varies by patient but generally should take place by one year of age on a small dog or cat and around two years for larger dogs. Unfortunately, many pet owners are not advised to seek dental care for their pets until there is a visible problem in the mouth and a “routine” dental cleaning becomes periodontal therapy with extractions.
What is a Periodontal Disease
I will use two important concepts as the starting point:
Plaque: It is a harmful film covering the teeth that will be caused by the bacteria inside the mouth because of a poor oral hygiene. Plaque develops quickly after eating but can be easily brushed off. This is when the daily brushing takes the protagonism.
Tartar: If plaque is not removed, it mixes with minerals and turns into a harder substance known as tartar or calculus. Unfortunately, tartar requires professional cleaning for removal.
The bacteria forming the plaque and tartar will scroll up to under the gums. The initial stage of this process would be an inflammation of the gumline known as Gingivitis. Later, the inflammation will progress to the deeper structures holding the teeth destroying ligaments, cementum, and bone around the root of the tooth. As this process progresses, it will be noticed a gum resection with partial exposure of the root of the tooth. Lastly, the affected tooth will get loose, sometimes to the point where it will fall out. This is a slow and painful process some Pets will have no more option than to suffer it quietly.
Do Not Give Up
Genetics plays an important role in dental tartar build-up and progressive inflammation. Don’t give up if your Chihuahua has bad teeth despite your compliance; dental prophylaxis will always be worth it. In the same way, we humans are recommended to brush our teeth daily and to have a prophylactic dental cleaning once a year for a healthy smile and to help decrease the chances of major dental issues, our Pets should have it too.
Dental Care is an essential part of Pet’s Overall Health.
As part of Our Policy
A separate appointment would be required for the Exam and Bloodwork that would not be included in the price given for the Dental Cleaning.
The price for the Dental Cleaning would include the extraction of loose and decayed teeth at the veterinarian’s discretion. However, any oral surgery like a mass removal or the repair of an Oro-nasal fistula, or other, would have an extra charge pending your approval. We do not extract healthy teeth.
Paws at Vet do not support dental X-rays or complex extractions.
