Dental hygiene is an important part of your pet's health and can often be the cause of serious illness. Dental problems, if left untreated, can often lead to larger systemic problems in your pet due to oral bacteria entering the blood stream and damaging the kidneys, heart and liver.

Pets have dental disease just like you do. Many of these problems can be avoided by bringing your pet to your veterinarian for regular dental check-ups and teeth cleanings. Bad breath and/or reddened gums are the most common signs of dental problems.

Some signs of dental problems include:

Bad breath? One of the first signs of dental disease

A yellowish-brown crust of plaque on the teeth near the gum line

Red and swollen gums

Pain or bleeding when you're pet eats or when the mouth or gums are touched

Decreased appetite or difficulty eating

Loose or missing teeth

Veterinary dentistry is quite different from the equivalent process in people. For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. Consequently, a person's visit to the dentist is relatively brief and does not require sedation. In contrast, veterinary dentistry is considerably more involved, time-consuming and complex. Cleaning a pet's teeth requires general anesthesia, and consequently a day of hospitalization. The skills of several people, from veterinarians to veterinary technicians and animal attendants are required for each dental procedure.

At Animal Oasis Veterinary Hospital, your pet's dental cleaning begins with a physical examination. This examination is important for evaluating your pet's general health. After the physical exam, your pet is given an anesthetic for a safe and painless sleep during the dental cleaning.

The first part of dental cleaning requires the removal of tartar. This is done with a hand scale. Next, an ultrasonic scale is used to clean above the gum line while a curette cleans and smoothes the teeth under the gum line in the crevice. Then your pet's teeth are polished and the gums are washed with an anti- bacterial solution to help delay tartar build-up.

Dental care does not end with a visit to your veterinarian. You need to continue your veterinarian's good work at home. Brushing your pet's teeth is an important part of home dental care. Any member of the Animal Oasis Veterinary Hospital team can show you the proper method of brushing your pet's teeth. Additionally, a vaccine that targets the bacteria responsible for tooth decay is now available.