Dentistry Care

There are few pains so difficult to bear or as debilitating as toothache – have you ever thought what that is like for our pets? Like humans they can still eat and appear normal, despite the pain and infection becoming quite severe. They just can’t tell us! So - just as for humans, good dental care is very important.

Did you know that over 85% of dogs and cats over the age of three, have some form of dental disease and chronic infections of teeth and gums? Bacteria from here gets into the bloodstream and can lead to infection in the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Good dental care can lengthen your pet’s life by 10-20% by prevention of these secondary problems!

Dental Scaling in Progress

What to look for:

Red, angry gums at the margin of tooth and gum [this is gingivitis], sore gums.

White, furry plaque or hard yellow brown tartar on the teeth themselves. Often tartar can completely obscure the tooth! In combination this produces a pocket of infection between tooth and gum - known as periodontal disease. The result of this is loosening of the teeth, root abscesses and foul-smelling discharge.

In cats we also see red /pink holes in the enamel of the teeth, exposing the nerves of teeth and producing severe pain – sadly, this is very common.

In dogs we can see abscesses discharging into the mouth or swelling of the face below the eyes.

Dental Suite at Gossops Green

What to do:

Home check-up is easy if you can lift the lips and examine the teeth of your pet. Getting pets used to this when they are young is a great help

Dental examination by a vet or a nurse. We are very keen on dental health and all our nurses are trained to give free dental exams and advice.

Professional cleaning and extractions as necessary. This is done under safe general anaesthetic with antibiotics for infection and of course, pain relief as necessary.

All patients, especially older pets, undergo thorough examination prior to dental work. We advise blood tests to check for any underlying problems [such as kidney or liver problems]. Age should not be seen as a barrier to good healthcare.

What about fillings, root canal work and orthodontics?

Fortunately dogs and cats rarely get caries and cavities that need filling. However, fractured canine teeth can be saved with a cap and /or root canal. We refer these problems to dental specialists. Often we see young dogs with retained milk teeth that need removing, but for serious dental deformities in the young pet, we refer to specialists.

Aftercare.

This is the most important part of dental health care – keeping teeth clean and minimising future problems. Just as with humans, pets need regular check-ups and dental cleaning once or twice a year, as necessary.

After extractions or dental cleaning, our routine is as follows:

Your pet is discharged by a nurse for immediate aftercare and you will be given a free dental home care kit.

Three-day Check-up: No charge made. Discussion and demonstration if required, of dental home care.

Three month Check up: No charge made. Talk with nurse to assess progress and give any necessary advice- we will send you a reminder, by text if we have your mobile number.

6 month Examination: General health exam with vet. If you have an older pet, there may be other problems to check too.

For good health care a twice-yearly exam of your dog or cat is ideal. You can do this once with your vaccination booster and again at six months – we send out reminders and vouchers.

What is home dental care?

Brushing with a soft toothbrush and pet toothpaste [important!] two or three times a week. This is the ideal but few owners have the time for this and not all pets are compliant without some training.

Daily mouthwashes to kill the plaque-forming bacteria.

Dental Chews. Generally the easiest method of dental healthcare!

Dental foods. If your pet has a particularly problem, these foods are specially formulated so that when chewed or broken the food “brushes” the teeth. It also contains certain natural antiseptics to keep bacteria and odours down Science Plan TD and Royal Canin Dental can be supplied by the practice.

Root Extraction in Progress

How much does it cost?

Dental cases differ in severity. For this reason when we examine your pet, we grade the severity of the problem to make it easier for our staff to give estimates. These are updated regularly

For example, Grade 1 is a 10-minute thorough clean-and-polish, after inspection and dental recording [just as your hygienist would do] plus anaesthetic. A Grade 4+ would be multiple dental extractions and possible suturing of gums – obviously a much longer [and costlier] procedure. As with human dental work, some problems only become obvious when work is in process.

Finally – Rabbits and Guinea pigs.

Yes - they too get dental problems of a different nature. Their teeth grow all the time and it is so important that they have the correct diet to ensure that their teeth wear correctly.

Often teeth can overgrow or get “hooks” which stops them eating. This is very serious as it can quickly lead to intestinal problems and even death. One of the first danger signs is salivation and wet fur under the chin, or lack of faecal pellets in the living quarters. It is very important to have the teeth of these small pets checked regularly.