Dental Cleaning So Important For Your Dogs

For most, any teeth care is routine unless something happens and you experience pain. Most people forget regular check ups for their dogs unless they are afflicted with excruciating toothache. Then you try to get to your dentist but they have prior appointments and you need to be squeezed in or you are turned down completely. When your teeth are healthy you are able to eat easily. Thus, your general healthy depends on healthy teeth.

Dogs that chew improper items, such as rocks and wood can break teeth, or have infected splinters stuck in the gums that need to be found and removed. Most pets will begin to develop some tartar by the time they are two years old, and tartar that is left to build up can become toxic. It will cause infection and irritation in the gums, which may cause your pet to lose appetite, resulting in weight loss and poor general health. Left longer, it can cause infection in the tooth sockets, and even the jaw bone. The toxins, once in the bloodstream, can have serious effects on the heart, causing arteries to become blocked or inflamed. The most severe cases lead to bone infections or heart attack, which can be fatal. The best way to prevent severe dental problems is to ask your veterinarian when it is time for a general teeth cleaning.

Having a yearly teeth cleaning procedure and dental instruments done by your dentist is the best way to take good care of your dogs's  teeth. Usually this procedure is completed free of charge especially if you have insurance, as it is considered preventive care. While your dentist is cleaning your dogs's teeth they can also check for any problems that may be noticeable in your dogs's mouth.

For a true cleaning, your pet will go under general anesthesia, for the pet's comfort and so that an effective deep cleaning can be done. Having your pet's teeth cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler breaks up and removes the tartar from the tooth surface and under the gum line, where it can build up and cause infection. A thorough exam will be done for loose teeth and caries, and bad teeth will be extracted. The dental finishes with a tooth polishing, and often an antibacterial rinse. The pet may be sent home with antibiotics and/or pain medication, depending upon the condition the teeth were in.

It is never too late! Even in severe cases, most pet owners will see a noticeable improvement in their pet's demeanor after a cleaning. The removal of dead and infected teeth reduces pain, allows the immune system to work up to its full capacity, and generally allows the pet to feel better. Older pets will especially benefit, though your veterinarian will run blood work before the dental to make sure they are safe for anesthesia.