Dental Health Program

Just like people, pets need dental care too. Red, inflamed gums and tartar are signs of early dental problems. Your pet's reluctance to eat, bad breath, drooling, and/or listlessness are a few signs that may indicate advanced dental disease.

What Causes Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats?
Dental (or periodontal) disease starts with bacterial growth on the surface of the tooth, ultimately resulting in destruction of the gums, connective tissues, and bone that holds the tooth in place. If left untreated these infections in the mouth may spread throughout the blood stream and cause heart, liver, and kidney disease.

We recommend professional dental care for all pets. In addition to cleaning and polishing the teeth, other forms of dental treatment may be advised for pets with more advanced dental disease. Some examples of other types of dental treatment include: periodontal antibiotics, x-rays, extractions and root canals. We also highly recommend allowing us to perform a pre-operative blood screen on your animal prior to the cleaning. This blood test allows us to look for problems that may not be apparent in a physical examination which may lead to complications during anesthesia.

Here at the Tamalpais Pet Hospital, we clean your pet's teeth with an ultrasonic scaler and polish them with a prophy paste and cup just like your own dental hygienist uses. While your pet is anesthetized, the doctor will be able to perform a more thorough examination of your pet's mouth and may find teeth that can cause pain such as ones that are loose, fractured or have exposed roots.