Professional Pet Dental Care You Can Trust
As pet owners, we want to ensure that our furry friends are healthy and happy. While we may take our pets for regular check-ups and vaccinations, one aspect of their health that often gets overlooked is their dental care. Just like humans, pets can develop dental problems that can lead to serious health issues if left untreated. That’s why it’s important to find reliable pet dental services in Annapolis, MD to keep your pet’s teeth clean and healthy, and we are here to help!
Dental Disease
At Bay Ridge Animal Hospital, we work to prevent dental disease with routine dental exams and dental cleanings. During your pet's regular wellness exam, your veterinarian will examine the teeth and gums for signs of dental diseases, including:
- Bad breath
- Yellow or brown teeth
- Inflamed gums
- Loose or missing teeth
- Mouth pain or bleeding
- Tartar and calculus build up
- Gingivitis
- Fractured teeth
- Abscesses
- Damage to enamel
- Tumors or excessive gingival tissue
- Correct bite
Based on your pet’s exam, your veterinarian may recommend more extensive at-home care, such as tooth brushing or dental diets and treats, or follow-up care in the form of a professional dental cleaning.
Professional Dental Cleanings
Bay Ridge Animal Hospital recommends regular dental cleanings to help keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy. These cleanings help your veterinarian assess your dog’s overall oral health and prevent tartar buildup, gum disease, and infection. The frequency of cleanings depends on your individual pet’s breed and oral health. Dental cleanings are always performed under general anesthesia to allow your veterinarian to clean under the gumline, where most harmful plaque and tartar hides.
Anesthesia allows our veterinarians to examine the full 360 degrees around each tooth and clean thoroughly beneath the gumline. We also take full dental radiographs on every patient to evaluate the tooth roots and bone that lie hidden below the gumline — the area where most painful dental disease begins.
At-Home Dental Care
Home dental care is one of the best ways to promote healthy teeth and gums. It’s best to start brushing your furry friend’s teeth as early as possible to establish a strong foundation of oral health, but it’s never too late to start! Use a specially designed pet toothbrush and pet toothpaste to brush your dog’s teeth. Never use human toothpaste; it can be harmful to your dog if swallowed. Ideally, pet’s teeth should be brushed every day, but at least three times a week is effective!
Some pets may be resistant to brushing at first, but there are a few tricks you can use to make the process more comfortable for you and your dog. First, give your dog a small sample of the toothpaste to introduce the taste. When brushing, use gentle motions to clean the teeth and gums. After, reward your dog with playtime, affection, or a healthy treat to positively reinforce the brushing process.
There are also a variety of dental diets, rinses, treats, and chew toys that can enhance your home dental care. These products work by breaking down plaque on the teeth before it can harden into tartar. Ask your veterinarian to help you choose the best products for your pet, or visit this link to explore products that carry the VOHC Seal of approval.
