dvm2 (16)At the Veterinary Medical and Surgical Hospital of Topeka we work with you to care for your dog’s dental needs.

According to Pet MD proper dental care can extend your pet’s life for up 5 years. Dogs can’t use a tooth brush but you can help them have clean teeth by brushing them regularly.

Ensuring your pet’s oral hygiene is very important because their overall health may rely upon it. Part of regular dental care includes checking for broken teeth and other damage. When you catch dental problems before they become serious, you will be helping with essential preventative health care.

Brushing your dog’s teeth should be included in your dog’s weekly grooming. Periodontal disease is a common problem for dogs. More than 80 percent of dogs show signs of it by the time they are 3.

When this condition is ignored it generally worsens and bacteria can spread to organs throughout the body.

Bad breath is an early sign of gum disease so keep alert and make certain your dog gets regular dental wellness checkups.

If your dog does have periodontal disease the good news is that a combination of brushing and professional prophylactic cleaning can reverse nearly all of the negative effects that result from periodontal disease.

Other serious outcomes of periodontal disease include:

    · Hardening plaque deposits on teeth enlarge the pocket between the tooth and the gum. This region traps debris and is a fertile environment for bacterial growth. This condition leads to bleeding gums.

    · In an advanced state of periodontal disease waste products cause ulcers to develop on the gum tissues.

    · In the final stage of periodontitis the bone begins to erode and fails to support the teeth. They become loose and fall out.

New plaque forms every 8 hours and rinsing will not get rid of it. The most effective way to deal with it is to brush your dog’s teeth daily. While you dog may not be too happy to comply with this practice, turning it into a game can help. Fluoride protects your dog’s teeth. It discourages bacterial growth and helps to keep teeth healthy. Vet dental cleaning is a very helpful way to keep your dog in top dental condition. Your veterinarian must give your dog a general anesthetic so that it will be possible to carry out a thorough and uninterrupted exam and cleaning. In preparation for this procedure you should be certain not to feed your dog the night before this in office treatment is scheduled.

During treatment the calculus and plaque are removed from your dog’s teeth. Often scaling treatment is applied to the roots. This makes it more difficult for plaque to adhere to the tooth. The veterinarian polishes the teeth and roots and cleans out any pockets around each tooth. The teeth are examined and if there is evidence of disease treatment is given immediately or scheduled at a later date. Fluoride treatment hardens tooth enamel and helps minimize bone and tooth loss.