As dental month concludes, we thought to provide an inside look on the process of a complete routine dental. Follow along to find out each step along the way to polishing up your pet’s pearly whites!   

The first step to scheduling a dental appointment is to have a recent preventative care examination. This is a regularly scheduled office visit where one of our doctors will examine your pet’s overall health. This will allow us to form a plan for your pet’s dental health care. Before the cleaning takes place, we will collect a small blood sample to test which will ensure all is well as we prepare for the cleaning.     

While being safely monitored under anesthesia, a technician will begin by taking survey radiographs of the pet’s mouth. This allows the doctor to evaluate each tooth’s roots and identify any problem areas. We do so by using a dental xray unit while a small radiograph plate is positioned in the inside of the top and bottom gum lines.     

Next, the technician begins the cleaning process by scaling the teeth. First, large pieces of plaque are gently removed. Next, a special instrument called an ultrasonic scaler is used in constant motion on all surface areas of each tooth. This allows tough plaque to be easily removed from the tooth’s surface.     

After scaling, we use a tool called a prophy along with prophy paste to polish and shine the scaled teeth. The head of the prophy spins at a high rate of speed and is passed along all surfaces of the teeth. The prophy paste is similar to toothpaste, although in this case, it has a fine grit that buffs the teeth surfaces. Our paste is flavored with mint for fresh breath!   

The process is repeated on the other side of the mouth when the pet is turned to face the other direction. Each surface (lingual, buccal, and occlusal) are treated.      

Lastly, the mouth is rinsed thoroughly to remove any prophy paste residue from the teeth.   

After a dental, at-home care is explained to each pet owner. Preventative care is key for dental health! Although we do carry pet-friendly toothpaste and toothbrushes, some products we recommend and offer to upkeep healthy teeth and gingiva are not limited to traditional teeth brushing. Our hospital also stocks Duoclenz enzyme-coated dental chews and dental wipes. For pets that don’t like teeth brushing and prefer a treat, the Duoclenz chews are an excellent option. Less food motivated pals may prefer a dental wipe. Presented as a toy; pulling and tugging the wipe creates a motion that works similar to flossing.     

Dental care for pets is most effective when it is accessible for both the pet and owner’s lifestyle. Consider reaching out to our hospital to discuss what options would work best for your pet and their health. We'd love to help you keep your pet's face kissable!