Pet Dental Care

Pets need regular care to prevent dental disease

At the foundation of your pet’s health is good dental hygiene. Yet, 70% of pets have some form of dental disease by age 3. Caused by cement-like tartar buildup that traps bacteria in and around the gumline, dental disease can have serious consequences if left untreated. Regular dental care maintains not only your pet’s dental health but also their overall health.

Why your pet’s dental health matters

Without consistent dental care, plaque and tartar can build up on your pet’s teeth above and below the gumline. Over time, dental disease can develop, which can lead to:

- Pain
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Bone and tooth loss
- Organ damage

Stages of periodontal disease

Dental disease, also called periodontal disease, progresses in the following stages:

- Grade 0 — A healthy pet’s mouth has no evidence of disease—gums are glossy pink and well-attached to the teeth.
- Grade 1 — At this stage, gingival inflammation (i.e., gingivitis) is present, but the teeth’s supporting structures are not affected.
- Grade 2 — As bacteria invade under the gumline, the periodontal ligament, which attaches each tooth to the surrounding bone, is damaged. Grade 2 periodontal disease involves less than 25% of the periodontal ligament and supporting structures.
- Grade 3 — Periodontal disease is rated as Grade 3 when 25% to 50% of the periodontal structures are lost.
- Grade 4 — Grade 4 staging indicates that greater than 50% of the tooth’s supporting structures have been lost. Teeth with this degree of damage typically can’t be salvaged and require extraction.

As periodontal disease progresses, bacteria can invade below your pet’s gumline, enter their bloodstream, and travel to important organs, such as the kidneys, heart, and brain.

By maintaining your pet’s dental health, you can help prevent these serious health issues and keep your pet pain-free. Oral health is about more than fresh breath and pearly whites, and Tampa Bay Animal Hospitals provide all of the dental care services your pet needs to stay healthy and happy.

PDF: Four Stages of Periodontal Disease

Dental exams

Since 60% of periodontal issues exist beneath the gumline, professional dental exams are critical to identify early signs of periodontal disease that would otherwise go unnoticed. During a dental exam, your veterinarian will thoroughly inspect your pet’s mouth for signs of dental disease and may recommend a professional cleaning, which is performed while your pet is under anesthesia. Most pets require professional dental cleanings once per year. However, some pets need more frequent cleanings and specific dental procedures.

Dental cleanings

A professional dental cleaning is the only way to remove tartar and oral bacteria. A complete professional dental cleaning includes:

- Diagnostic dental X-rays
- Scaling tartar from the tooth surface, above and below the gumline
- Polishing each tooth to remove microscopic etchings created by scaling, where bacteria can adhere
- Probing the gumline for pockets that indicate periodontal disease
- Irrigating below the gumline to flush away bacteria and debris
- Rinsing with an antimicrobial solution

If our exam or X-rays show diseased teeth, we will discuss options to prevent the damage from progressing. Severely damaged teeth may need to be extracted, which we can do while your pet is under anesthesia.

At-home dental care

To maintain your pet’s dental health, pair regular dental exams and cleanings with daily at-home care that consists of:

- Toothbrushing — Brushing your pet’s teeth daily removes plaque before it hardens into tartar.
- Approved dental health products — Dental health products included on the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s (VOHC) accepted product list are proven to reduce plaque and tartar accumulation, and effectively battle dental disease.