February is National Pet Dental Health month and our veterinarians in Tampa are doing their part to get the word out about the importance of a healthy mouth for your pet. One of the things that our animal clinic focuses on is proper pet oral healthcare. It remains one of the most important factors in keeping your pet healthy.
Proper pet oral healthcare starts with the annual exam. Examining the mouth is one of the many steps performed in the routine examination. Our vets in Tampa will look for excessive tartar, chipped teeth, gingivitis, loose teeth and in severe cases, periodontal disease. Many times, these lesions are not yet causing clinical symptoms in your pet and only found during their exams. We have seen many cases throughout the years that early intervention of dental problems would have led to safer, less painful treatment options which is also easier on your checkbook.
After the initial exam comes sedation for a thorough oral exam and treatment. At our Tampa veterinary clinic we begin all of our dental procedures with looking at all the tooth surfaces and cleaning all surfaces with an ultrasonic scaler. Once the initial exam is completed, a treatment plan is established. This can be as simple as finishing the cleaning process and polishing or as complex as dental surgery to remove diseased teeth. Obviously, with better routine, preventative care, we can save more teeth and maintain a healthier mouth for our patients which will lead to a longer, healthier life.
The last and crucial step to giving your pet a healthier mouth is at home dental care. The gold standard is brushing as often as possible, but we understand that this can be a challenging step. Check out our short video about how to brush your pet’s teeth at https://youtu.be/X1koEskDKyw If brushing is not a possibility, there are many products such as chews, washes, and drink additives that can help decrease the amount of plaque and tartar building up on your pet’s teeth in between their regular cleanings.
By creating and following an oral healthcare routine, you can have an extremely positive impact on your dog or cat’s longevity. If you have any questions, you can always contact our Tampa veterinary hospital and we will be happy to answer any questions.
