Dental Care
Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in dogs and cats, and is often missed because pets are very good at hiding mouth pain. Good dental care keeps your pet comfortable, prevents tooth loss, and reduces the burden of bacteria entering the bloodstream from infected gums.
Signs of dental problems
Watch for:
- Bad breath
- Yellow or brown deposits on the teeth
- Red, swollen or bleeding gums
- Drooling, pawing at the mouth or chewing on one side
- Reluctance to eat hard food, or dropping food
- Loose, broken or missing teeth
Dental examinations
We check your pet’s teeth and gums at every annual booster and during routine consultations. If we find a problem we’ll talk you through the options before going ahead with any treatment.
Scale and polish
A professional scale and polish removes the hard tartar that builds up on the teeth — something brushing alone cannot do once it has formed. The procedure is carried out under general anaesthetic, which allows us to clean above and below the gum line and to inspect each tooth properly.
Extractions
Some teeth may need to be removed if they are loose, fractured, severely decayed, or causing pain from gum disease. Extractions are always carried out under anaesthetic with local anaesthetic and full pain relief.
Looking after your pet’s teeth at home
- Daily tooth brushing is the gold standard — using a pet-specific toothpaste (never human toothpaste)
- Dental chews and diets can help reduce plaque
- Regular check-ups allow us to catch problems early