Just like us, regular dental check ups are important to maintain good oral hygiene. Animals do not brush their own teeth and so it is not uncommon for their teeth to need some work. Signs of poor dental health include bad breath, discoloured teeth, having trouble eating and even teeth falling out.
At MFVH we use an ultrasonic dental scaler that vibrates at 42000 times a second to remove the built up tartar, we then use a special paste to polish the teeth to remove any remaining plaque. If teeth are found to be beyond repair, we remove the teeth. Nerve blocks with local anaesthetic are used to reduce the pain experienced by those animals.
Once the teeth are clean it is then best to use dry dog food with a “dental component” that is designed to slow the recurrence of plaque, oravet chews, greenies or even just some raw uncooked bones will help to reduce the rate that plaque builds back up.
It is normal for dogs to need multiple teeth cleans throughout their life. Let us know if you are concerned and we can advise you of the best plan of action.