Dental Health: Essential for Your Pet's Overall Well-being
Just like humans, pets require consistent dental care to maintain their overall health and quality of life. Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in pets, affecting a staggering 80% of dogs and 70% of cats by the age of three. Far from being just a cosmetic issue, poor oral hygiene can lead to significant pain, discomfort, and serious systemic health problems.
Dental health is crucial for pets, impacting not only their oral comfort but also their overall well-being. Conditions like gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease (infection of the structures supporting the teeth) are common in pets, but importantly, they are highly preventable. Regular dental care removes tartar, addresses gum inflammation, and detects early signs of decay, preventing infections that can cause severe pain and discomfort, and potentially spread to other vital organs like the heart, kidneys, and liver.
At Tarka Vets, we are committed to helping you provide the best possible dental care for your pet, from preventative measures to advanced treatments.
What We Offer: A Comprehensive Approach to Pet Dental Care
Our dental services are designed to address every aspect of your pet's oral health, ensuring they have a healthy, comfortable mouth and a better quality of life.
Routine Oral/Dental Checks and Home Dental Care Guidance: Prevention starts at home! During your pet's routine health checks or dedicated nurse consultations, we will thoroughly examine their mouth to assess their dental health. We'll look for signs of plaque, tartar, gingivitis, damaged teeth, or other abnormalities. Crucially, we can help you improve your pet’s dental care at home with practical tips and demonstrations. We’ll guide you on:
Effective toothbrushing techniques.
Appropriate dental diets and chews.
Other at-home preventative strategies to keep their teeth clean between professional procedures.
Routine Teeth Scale and Polish: Even with diligent home care, most pets will eventually accumulate plaque and tartar that requires professional removal. This procedure is performed under a general anaesthetic to ensure your pet's comfort and safety, allowing us to thoroughly clean every tooth, even those below the gumline.
Scaling: Using ultrasonic and hand scalers, we carefully remove plaque and tartar from the tooth surfaces, both above and below the gumline.
Polishing: After scaling, the teeth are polished to smooth out any microscopic etches created by the scaling process, making it harder for plaque to adhere in the future.
This routine procedure is essential for preventing the progression of gum disease and maintaining optimal oral hygiene.
Dental X-rays: Essential for Hidden Disease Below the Gumline: A significant portion of dental disease occurs below the gumline, invisible during a routine oral exam. Dental X-rays are an indispensable diagnostic tool that allows us to see the full picture of your pet's oral health. They are essential for:
Identifying hidden problems such as root abscesses, bone loss, un-erupted teeth, and fractured tooth roots.
Assessing the extent of periodontal disease and planning appropriate treatment.
Ensuring no fragments are left behind during tooth extractions.
Without dental X-rays, it's impossible to truly evaluate the health of your pet's entire mouth, and many painful conditions can go unnoticed.
Tooth Extractions: When a tooth is severely diseased, fractured, or causing significant pain that cannot be managed by other means, extraction may be the most humane course of action. Our team is skilled in performing dental extractions, from simple removals to more complex surgical extractions.
We always aim to save teeth where possible, but when extraction is necessary, we ensure it's done safely and effectively, with appropriate pain management before, during, and after the procedure.
Post-extraction care instructions will be provided to ensure a comfortable and speedy recovery for your pet.
Investing in your pet's dental health is an investment in their overall happiness and longevity. Don't let dental disease compromise their quality of life. Contact us today to schedule a dental check-up or to discuss any concerns you have about your pet's oral hygiene.