Dental exams are the first step towards proactive wellness. During your pet’s wellness visit, the health of his or her teeth and gums will be assessed visually. Our medical team looks for signs of pain, inflammation, and abnormal masses, but visual exams are just the tip of the iceberg. To make a complete and accurate diagnosis, we must use digital dental radiography to see what’s going on below the gum line.
Digital Dental Radiography is an invaluable tool in determining complete dental health. We are fully-equipped with digital dental x-ray imaging technology in house. This is a modern diagnostic tool that efficiently produces clear and high-resolution images to better assist us is making accurate diagnoses in our patients. This advancement is a step up from traditional film dental radiography, which often takes longer to process with a lower resolution quality.
Did you know over half of your companion’s teeth are beneath the gum line? For this reason, many painful oral conditions remain hidden such as foreign objects lodged in the gums, jaw and tooth fractures, abnormal roots, tumors, stomatitis, cysts, and abnormal, mal-positioned, missing, or dead teeth. All of this makes digital dental radiography essential during dental procedures, and later when determining procedural success.
Dental cleanings are about more than keeping your pet’s teeth white and sparkling! Annual cleanings prevent painful periodontal disease, gingivitis, and bacterial infections which may lead to threatening conditions such as heart and kidney failure, liver damage, a weakened immune system, as well as damage to other essential bodily systems.
For your pet’s safety and comfort, cleanings must be performed under general anesthesia. Prior to the procedure, we will collect and analyze pre-surgical bloodwork to ensure your companion’s safety. Our experienced team will rigorously monitor vitals throughout the entire procedure and afterwards in recovery until they are awake and alert. By keeping up-to-date with annual cleanings, your pet’s mouth will be healthy and hygienic so you can enjoy all those loving kisses!
At-home dental care is recommended in between annual dental exams and cleanings to maintain dental health. This will reduce oral bacteria and plaque build-up that may potentially lead to more threatening health concerns. It is encouraged to brush your pet’s teeth every day or every other day, especially after a meal.
The younger your pet is when you begin brushing their teeth, the easier it will be for you. Some pets may be too resistant— that is perfectly okay. There are other alternatives such as dental treats and toys that remove plaque buildup and massage gums while your pet chews. It’s that easy!
We are more than happy to discuss at-home dental care and recommend pet toothpastes, toothbrushes, and oral solutions, as well as treats and toys.
On the corner of Pine Bluff Road and County Rd 8000 E. Across the intersection from Dresden Cooling Lake.
Phone: 815-942-5365
