Regular professional cleaning:
A cleaning preformed at the veterinarian’s office is similar to what a person receives at their dentist’s office!
• Large tartar is removed with specific instruments & more delicate tartar deposits are removed from the gum line
• Periodontal sockets are probed & measured to assess periodontal disease
• The roots are planed, meaning tartar is scraped from below the gum line until the roots are smooth again.
• The enamel is polished to remove any unevenness left by tartar removal
• The mouth is disinfected & possibly treated with a fluoride sealer or plaque repellent
• Professional notes are taken on a dental chart, noting abnormalities on each of a dog’s 42 teeth or a cat’s 30 teeth.
It is important to note that “non-anesthetic” teeth cleaning is not comparable, as it is not possible to perform a multi-step cleaning on a pet without general anesthesia.
Cosmetic cleanings DO NOT address periodontal disease where it occurs; under the gum line.
Home Care & Products:
Toothpaste & Brushing:
Notice the shape of the canine & feline brushes & how they conform to a pet’s mouth.
If you opt for a human toothbrush we recommend using ones designed for babies, as they are smaller & easier to maneuver in your pets’ mouth.
Finger brushes are also available and are smaller for puppies & kittens.
Never use human toothpaste for a pet as these contain sudsing agents & fluoride which are not meant to be swallowed. Animal toothpaste comes in special flavours (chicken, seafood, and malt) in addition to the more human-appreciated mint, and are designed to be swallowed.
Dental wipes, pads & water additives:
Some animals, especially those with tender gums, will not tolerate brushing but are more amenable to defecting wipes or pads.
These products will wipe off plaque deposits from the surface of the tooth and, though they lack the ability to pick food particles out of the gum socket, they are probably the next best thing to brushing.
These products are best used daily.
Another option to consider are water additives, these can be added to your pets’ water & can help reduce tartar build up and eliminate bad breath.
Dental Diets & Treats:
There is more to dental diets than simple kibbling! Dental diets on the market today use several techniques to help reduce plaque.
First, the kibbles are very large, meaning the pet must chew them before swallowing. These diets are also high in fiber which means the kibbles do not shatter when chewed, instead the tooth sinks into the kibble allowing plaque to be essentially scrubbed away!
The large kibbles may pose an acceptance problem for the pet, leading the owner to use them as treats or mix them with other kibbles.
But it is important to remember, the smaller the percentage of the diet these kibbles represent, the less benefit will be reaped. It is also important to note that these diets are helpful only in cleaning the molars and premolars (i.e. the chewing teeth) and do not help the fangs or incisors.
For many people, doing anything inside their pet’s mouth on a regular basis is simply never going to happen.
Fortunately, all is not lost! Chewing on a proper dental chew daily can substantially reduce plaque & tartar by up to 69%!
Chews should be used daily in order to achieve these results; occasional use is not going to be helpful & the pet must actually chew on the treat.
Dental chews must also be the proper size for your pet to avoid a choking hazard!
Dental chews have sophisticated additional ingredients to prevent mineralization of plaque (i.e. hexametaphosphate) or to prevent future plaque attachment after current plaque is scrubbed off (like delmopinol) & green chlorophyll to help with bad breath.
