Dentistry

A thorough cleaning of the teeth is similar to what your dental hygienist performs. A combination of ultrasonic scaling and hand scaling remove the tartar from the enamel surface, followed by polishing and a fluoride treatment. If the level of the dental disease is only a Grade I (no root exposure, just tartar and gingivitis), we have a non-anesthetic dental service which comes to the clinic once a month to perform these cleanings. These are highly trained and skilled professionals which are capable of performing a thorough cleaning while the pet is cradled in their laps. Pet Dental Services (www.petdentalservices.com) has been serving the needs of All Paws Animal Clinic since July 2007, performing over 200 dental cleanings. The service has been providing anesthesia-free dental care for more than 10 years and has established a solid reputation among a growing network of over 300 veterinarians. They are extremely compassionate with animals!
For those patients with more advanced dental disease, the scaling and polishing are performed under general anesthesia (see Surgery under for services for a description of safety of anesthesia). To assess disease below the gumline, digital dental xray provides us a way to see the extent of bone loss (alveolar disease) as well as other abnormalities.
Teeth that are loose/mobile are beyond salvaging and must be extracted. After apply a fluoride foam to the teeth, a sealant called “Oravet” is applied to the tooth enamel after the polishing. Medications are prescribed for pain and infection.
Prevention of Dental Disease
Chewing is a natural way to prevent plaque and tartar build-up (Dentees Chews and C.E.T. chews are excellent), but this only helps the back teeth (premolars and molars) and not the teeth in the front (canines and incisors). Brushing of the teeth is the best way to prevent periodontal disease, but to be effective, it really needs to be done every day and not all pets will tolerated brushing. Applying products such as the Nolvaldent spray, Oxyfresh gel and V-Biotene gel help to kill the bacteria which can cause plaque. We also carry the Oxyfresh Pet Oral Hygiene Rinse which can be mixed with the drinking water.
Additional Services

Dental cleanings & your pet’s health
Bad Breath: Bad breath is the most common sign of dental disease noted by pet owners. However, this is often only the tip of the iceberg. The gums can become irritated leading to bleeding and oral pain. Bacteria surrounding the roots can also gain access to the...

Cold Laser Therapy
Just what is cold laser therapy? More and more veterinarians are recommending cold laser therapy as a means to help their patients with acute and chronic medical problems. Commonly known as LLLT, cold or soft laser, it is a form of photo therapy which involves the...
Behavioral Tips

Thunderstorms and your pet’s fear
Phobia: The fear of loud noises is considered a phobia, which is an intense response to a situation that your pet perceives as fear inducing. The pets response is out of proportion to the stimulus they fear. Phobic responses are very similar to fear, however...

Dental cleanings & your pet’s health
Bad Breath: Bad breath is the most common sign of dental disease noted by pet owners. However, this is often only the tip of the iceberg. The gums can become irritated leading to bleeding and oral pain. Bacteria surrounding the roots can also gain access to the...