Chattahoochee animal clinic monthly specials

Hello Folks…Summer is coming to a close…The kids are back in school and traffic is back to dreadful! I hope everyone had a great summer break. Chattahoochee Animal Clinic kicked off the 2014 school year with a dental special in the month of August. We are already halfway through the month! We are thrilled by the number of pet parents in Roswell that have taken advantage of this special and helped promote a clean, healthy mouth for their pet. Fresh breath and a pain free mouth is a great way to head into the fall. We have received many questions from our pet parents this month about dentistry. The #1 question has been, “What does a dental cleaning entail?” So, I thought I would briefly outline the “whats and whys” of our dental strategy for our patients.

So, let us get started…Our own teeth are scaled by a dentist or hygienist – we sit in the chair and open our mouth when requested, letting the professional do their work. While the principles of good oral hygiene and dental health are the same for dogs and cats as for people, there are some significant differences. We understand why the procedure is important, and we typically do not need sedation or restraint. Neither is true for our pets. Another important difference between human and veterinary dental practice is that we tell the dentist when there is discomfort; to ensure that nothing is missed in dogs or cats, our patients require a thorough oral examination as part of a dental scaling procedure.  We must remember that two thirds of the tooth is not visible to our eyes! So, careful evaluation while sedated is essential to diagnosing hidden dental problems.

Professional dental cleaning includes scaling and other steps described below.

Every professional dental cleaning starts with a review of the patient’s general health and any previous dental history. For a thorough, safe dental cleaning in veterinary patients, anesthesia is essential, as this permits a comprehensive assessment of the tissues. This is followed by the cleaning (scaling and polishing procedure) itself. So-called “anesthesia-free dental scaling” is not recommended by American Veterinary Dental College.

If the extent of the abnormality is limited to accumulation of plaque and dental tartar with gingivitis or only mild periodontitis (bone loss around the tooth), a professional dental cleaning is performed by Dr. Smith. However, if additional abnormalities requiring attention are found then Dr. Smith will call the pet parent to discuss what other procedures may be required to address the dental problem.

Professional dental cleaning removes dental plaque and tartar that causes periodontal disease. The dental deposits are removed by power (ultrasonic) and hand dental scalers. Following scaling, the teeth are polished to remove residual plaque and to smooth the tooth surface (which delays deposition of plaque and tartar subsequently). The mouth is rinsed to remove debris prior to a final inspection. A plaque-preventive material may be applied to the teeth. The pet parent will be provided with recommendations for daily home oral hygiene specific for dogs or cats, and a recommendation made for a follow-up examination with our technician.

I hope that helps all of our pet parents in Roswell. Have a great Fall!!