Preventive Dental Care
Routine dental care matters.
A pet's dental health is just as important as their physical health, however, it often goes overlooked. The reality is that oral hygiene plays a huge part in ensuring your pet lives a long, healthy life.
Dental disease is a common but serious problem. Approximately 80% of pets will develop it by the time they’re three and, if left untreated, it will spread to the tooth socket and destroy bone. It also allows bacteria to travel from the mouth and through the body which can affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver and cause chronic health issues.
The good news is that dental disease is entirely preventable and with regular preventive care, you can help your pet avoid the pitfalls associated with poor oral hygiene.
How can I help my pet maintain good oral hygiene?
The best way to make sure your pet’s teeth remain healthy is by having routine annual exams. Whether you have a puppy or kitten with a mouth full of baby teeth or an adult pet whose teeth need to be checked for plaque, tartar, or dental disease, having a veterinarian examine them is the first step to making sure they’re in good health.
During your pet’s comprehensive physical, your veterinarian will perform a dental health assessment and make recommendations for preventive care. Sometimes this will mean performing good home preventative care, other times, it will mean scheduling an appointment for a dental cleaning or extraction.
Although we recommend brushing your pet’s teeth daily as part of a good preventive care routine, we understand that it’s not always possible. Luckily, there are other ways to maintain your pet’s oral health when you can’t brush their teeth.
- Utilize water additives
- Give your pet a dental chew every other day
- Choose food and treats that control plaque and promote dental health
- Schedule dental cleanings as recommended by your veterinarian
Non- Anesthetic Dental Cleanings
As part of our commitment to provide our patients with preventative dental care, Hazel Ridge Veterinary Clinic partners with Animal Dental Care to offer non-anesthetic dental cleanings for qualifying patients. This service provides pet owners with an additional option for maintaining oral health and monitoring dental changes between anesthetic dental x-rays and cleanings. Non-anesthetic dental cleanings focus on preventative care, early detection, and ongoing maintenance.
For more than 2 decades, Animal Dental Care has specialized in oral screenings and cleanings performed without anesthesia. Each Animal Dental Care Technician goes through an extensive 6-month training program. During this program the technicians are trained in the complete anatomy and physiology of the dog/cat oral cavity, the mapping of each tooth, and the complete dental cleaning and polishing. They are trained in behavior techniques which ensures your pet is handled in a gentle, patient, comfortable manner.
Every pet has unique dental needs. Some pets benefit most from routine professional dental procedures under anesthesia, while others may be candidates for non-anesthetic preventative care between cleanings. Our veterinarians will work closely with you to develop a dental plan tailored to your pet’s age, health status, and lifestyle. By combining preventative care, early detection, and advanced dental services, we can help pets enjoy greater comfort and improved overall well-being.
**The services performed by Animal Dental Care at Hazel Ridge Veterinary Clinic can only be performed on patients with a current examination and approval by one of our veterinarians.
Call us at (916) 965-8200 to schedule your pet’s oral health assessment or dental cleaning.
