List of questions:
- Why Teeth Care is important?
- How do I know that my pet needs their teeth cleaned?
- How often teeth cleaning should this be done?
- Are all dogs good candidates for having their teeth cleaned?
- How is the procedure is looking like?
- Will a pet feel the pain during teeth cleaning?
- How long does the procedure take?
- What space is needed for the procedure?
- Who is eligible for Smile4Pet Teeth Cleaning?
1. Why Teeth Care is important?
Dental disease is more than just a cosmetic issue — when your canine companion or feline friend has red gums, yellow teeth, and stinky breath, it could be a sign of severe oral disease that could, if left untreated, lead to devastating effects on your pet’s quality of life. Neglecting your pet’s teeth and gums can cause chronic pain issues that may even be at the center of some behavioral problems.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reports 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats to have some oral disease by the age of 3.
There are nine reasons why the care of your animal’s teeth is so crucial:
- A pet with healthy teeth equals a pet with better breath!
- Dental disease can lead to problems with your pet’s organs. Bacteria under the gum can travel to the heart, kidneys, and liver.
- Retained baby teeth can cause problems in pets too!
Did you know that dogs have 42 teeth and cats have 30 teeth?
Before their adult teeth grow in, though, their baby teeth have to fall out. Sometimes, not all of the baby teeth want to come out, which can lead to problems like gum irritation and tartar buildup.
- Caring for your pet’s teeth can prevent other health problems, saving you tons of money over the long term!
- You need regular dental care, and you brush your teeth every day – why wouldn’t your pets?
Regular at-home dental care can help improve the health of your pet’s mouth and lengthen the intervals between professional Smile4Pet cleanings.
- Did you know that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 years have some periodontal disease?
The buildup of plaque can cause it, so it’s important to have regular dental checkups and cleanings with anesthesia ot without.
Periodontal disease is a progressive disease of the supporting tissues surrounding teeth and the primary cause of early tooth loss. Periodontal disease starts when bacteria combine with food particles to form plaque on the teeth.
Within days, minerals in the saliva bond with the plaque to form tartar, a hard substance that adheres to the teeth. The bacteria work their way under the gums and cause gingivitis — inflammation of the gums. Once under the gums, bacteria destroy the supporting tissue around the tooth, leading to tooth loss. This condition is known as periodontitis. Learn more about STAGES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASES
- Pets that don’t get dental care can painfully lose their teeth – this can be painful and cause serious health problems.
- Your dog and cat are very good at hiding pain – you might never know that your pet has a severe dental problem until it’s very advanced.
This is yet another reason it’s important to take your pet in for regular dental checkups.
- Teeth wear out!
Your pets are tough on their teeth. Learn the symptoms to keep your pet from experiencing the pain of severely worn teeth.
2. How do I know that my pet needs their teeth cleaned?
Here are the most common symptoms:
The activity of pathogenic microflora causes putrefactive decay of tissues and provokes inflammatory reactions, which causes an unpleasant smell. Teeth cleaning helps to neutralize oral microflora and get rid of the unpleasant aroma.
Inflamed Gums (Gingivitis)
It shows itself in the form of swollen, reddened, and achy gums. All of this is a consequence of the activity of pathogenic microorganisms that multiply intensively in the oral cavity. The formation of plaque is the result of activity of bacteria processing food leftover in the oral cavity. Bacteria uses the remnants of food, simultaneously forming plaque. The food falls between the gum line and the root of the tooth, an inflammatory reaction will occur. This can cause a severe toothache, and in some cases “harmless” gingivitis can lead to degradation of the bone tissue of dental alveoli and even inflammation of the jaw bone.
Dark spots, Tartar and Plaque on the Surface of the Enamel
Plaque accumulates on the teeth which then mineralize and harden and becomes Tartar. Tartar is hard and very damaging to dog’s oral health.
Flux (Swelling of the Muzzle)
Flux is one of the most visible and typical signs of problems with teeth and gums. If the infection is serious, then the gum and all surrounding tissues visibly inflame. Sometimes it is a slight swelling, and sometimes the dog’s muzzle looks extremely swollen. With such serious symptoms, teeth cleaning and removing a plague would not be enough to treat the issue at hand.
Loss of Appetite
A swollen or infected gum line may cause a lack of appetite.
When there are constant sources of infection in the mouth in the form of tartar, plaque, inflamed gums etc. pathogenic microflora can always get into the sinus cavity. This can cause rhinitis and frequent sneezing.
If you recognize one of these symptoms, then professional teeth cleaning is highly suggested.
3. How often should this be done?
We recommend this service two times a year. In some cases, if the dog’s (or cats) teeth are not given enough attention, the procedure can be performed at intervals of 3-6 months
4. Are all dogs good candidates for having their teeth cleaned?
The ideal candidate is a dog that quietly lies motionlessly, mouth wide-open, looking at you with loving eyes. Probably no need to explain that such patients can only be in dreams. We can perform the procedure on 95% of pets. The remaining 5%, 1 out of 20 pets, is not suitable for the procedure for two main reasons:
- The animal is completely uncontrollable and it is not possible to “negotiate” with it.
- The condition of the animal’s oral cavity requires the intervention of a veterinary dentist and systematic treatment, including tooth extraction, operations and a course of antibiotics to control the inflammation.
5. How is the procedure is looking like?
In our work we do not use towels, leashes, straitjackets, sedatives, painkillers or anesthesia. Having a great experience, professional equipment, and a great love for animals are all the tools needed. In the first 20 minutes the dogs decide for themselves whether they like it or not. During this time, we complete the main part of the procedure. The next 10 minutes we check the work done and polish the teeth.
6. Will a pet feel the pain during teeth cleaning?
Absolutely not. Some breeds are more sensitive, some aren’t. Ultrasonic cleaning may not be comfortable due to the high frequency of the equipment. For breeds that are sensitive to this, we clean it with 100% hand tools.
7. How long does the procedure take?
For a dog, 25-30 minutes, for a cat – 15-25 minutes.
8. What space is needed for the procedure?
Comfortable work requires a quiet, clean, closed room with good lighting.
9. Who is eligible for Smile4Pet Teeth Cleaning?
We will provide a pre-dental veterinary exam to determine whether the pet is a good candidate for teeth cleaning without anesthetics.
Eligible patients include:
- Young pets needing their 1st dental trophy.
- Senior pets, for which antistatic is too risky
- Pets with healthy gingiva & mild to heavy supragingival calculus.
- Pets with health conditions that make them high risk for anesthesia.
- Pets with stages 0-3 periodontal disease ( read more about 4 stages of periodontal diseases), including “high-risk” breeds such as
- Brachys (bulldogs, pugs, boxers, Boston terriers, as well as cats with “pushed in” faces)
- Sighthounds (greyhound, whippet, Italian greyhound, Afghan hound, Borzoi, Irish wolfhound, and the Saluki)
- Herding Breeds (Collie, Border collie, Australian shepherd, and the Shelties)
- Toy Breeds
- Giant Breeds (Newfoundlands or Great Pyrenees)
- Doberman Pinscher
- Boxers Bred