Pet Dental Cleaning in Pompano Beach

Ensuring the dental health of your pet is important and regular dental check-ups can prevent dental diseases and tooth decay. If overlooked, gum issues can impact the overall well-being of your pet. All Aboard Animal Hospital is dedicated to offering preventative care to maintain your pet’s optimum health.

In this article, we highlight the steps taken during a dental cleaning and some tips for home dental care.

Key Indicators Of Dental Disease

Dental disease results from the accumulation of plaque and calculus on teeth. Common signs in both dogs and cats include:

• Bad breath
• Build-up of tartar or calculus
• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Gum recession
• Excessive salivation

If you notice any of these signs outside of regular check-ups, get in touch with All Aboard Animal Hospital for a dental examination.

Preparing Your Pet for Dental Cleaning

Our veterinarian determines the need for a dental cleaning and will suggest suitable treatment for potential dental concerns. Next, we will perform pre-anesthetic blood tests that ensure that your dog or cat’s liver and kidney function is satisfactory for anesthesia along with assessing cardiac health.

The Dental Cleaning Process

Both cats and dogs undergo similar steps:

Cat Dental Cleaning

Under general anesthesia, our team checks your cat’s mouth thoroughly. With the help of X-rays, we search for tooth decay, bleeding gums, or other symptoms. Every tooth undergoes an assessment, followed by scaling to eliminate tartar above and below the gum line. In cases of advanced periodontal disease, tooth extraction might be necessary under anesthesia. Post-scaling, we polish the teeth and apply a sealant to combat future plaque growth.

Dog Dental Cleaning

Dogs, like cats, need general anesthesia for the procedure. The vet examines your dog’s teeth, followed by X-rays, if required. Subsequently, the teeth are cleaned and polished to eradicate plaque and tartar.

Tips For Maintaining Your Pet’s Teeth After a Dog Dental Cleaning

Home dental care including regular tooth brushing helps keep plaque away after a pet dental cleaning. The Veterinary Oral Health Council only recommends dental products that are safe and proven to reduce plaque and tartar accumulation after strict studies. You can view a list of safe products to use for your pet on their website.

Choose a pet toothpaste that is safe to be swallowed and is non-foaming. Many of these kinds of toothpaste have enzymes that are designed to help break down plaque, which reduces the time you need to spend brushing your cat or dog’s teeth.