Dental Care

The combination of food, saliva, and bacteria leads to plaque formation. If this isn’t removed by brushing, it mineralizes and becomes tartar. Tartar accumulation promotes bacterial infections below the gumline, which result in gum recession and destruction of the tooth’s support structures. Without treatment, tooth loss and pain occur. Bacteria from a tooth infection can also enter the blood stream and spread to distant organs, like the kidney, liver and heart.

A dental at Trenton Veterinary Hospital involves an evaluation of the oral cavity and cleaning not only the surface of the teeth, but underneath the gumline where the majority of bacteria and tartar are found. After the teeth are cleaned, they are polished to smooth the rough surface created by the cleaning. Without polishing, these irregular surfaces allow bacteria and plaque to adhere more easily and accelerate the recurrence of dental disease. Next, an antibacterial solution is flushed below the gumline to remove any debris that collected after the scaling and polishing. Lastly the entire mouth is checked again, and dental x-rays may be used to assess the extent of the dental disease and the need for tooth extractions or additional work. Even though most people can tolerate and sit through a thorough dental cleaning, pets can’t. The only way to perform a complete dental cleaning in pets is by using general anesthesia.