Your pet’s teeth play an important part in keeping your animal healthy. Your pet’s teeth are used to chew up food to digest its nutrients and are also used to help with self-grooming. Sadly, dental health is often a part of pet care that owners neglect. As a result, we often treat dogs and cats suffering from periodontitis. That’s why our team at Costa Mesa Animal Hospital is here to help you understand the importance of routine dental care for your pet.
Bacteria in Your Pet’s Mouth
Bacteria from food grows on your pet’s teeth and can work its way into the gums if left untreated. Bacteria can eventually form plaque and tartar that cause tooth decay, bad breath, and other health-related issues. If left untreated, it eventually turns into periodontal disease, which becomes an incredibly painful disease called stomatitis.
Dental Cleanings
We recommend that your dog or cat gets a dental cleaning from our veterinary team once a year. This ensures that all of the plaque and tartar are removed. This cleaning also checks for other problems in the mouth. Because pets do not stay still long enough to get their teeth cleaned, we will need to administer a light dose of anesthesia for the cleaning.
Feeding Dry Food and Dental Treats
Although dry food and dental treats can help clean your pet’s teeth, they can’t get to everywhere bacteria could be. This is why it is important to schedule routine dental cleanings for your pet.
Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth
Brushing your pet’s teeth with a specialized toothbrush and pet toothpaste helps reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in its mouth. During your pet’s next dental appointment, our veterinarians can show you how to brush its teeth properly. First, you will need to work with your pet to make sure it is comfortable having your fingers in its mouth. Then, you can introduce the toothpaste and brush.
Dental Care Treats More Than Just Your Pet’s Teeth
Proper dental care not only helps you maintain the health of your pet’s teeth but also its heart, liver, and kidney health. This is because the plaque that forms on your pet’s teeth can work its way into its bloodstream and travel to the inner organs. For example, the heart can be damaged by plaque, causing inflammation. Bacteria from the mouth can also cause meningitis in cats.
Visit Us for Professional Pet Care from Our Costa Mesa Veterinarians
If you have any further questions about how you can help maintain your pet’s oral health through routine dental care, contact our team at Costa Mesa Animal Hospital today. Our veterinarians are dedicated to providing pets the testing and treatment they need to live long and healthy lives. Contact our team by calling us at (949) 548-3794 to schedule your pet’s next dental appointment.