Dental Hygiene

Periodontal disease is a painful progression of infection starting with plaque and calculus causing gingivitis to deep infections and loss of teeth. Currently more than 85% of dogs and more than 50% cats older than 4 years have periodontal disease. This is a statistic that we want to change. Periodontal disease not only causes the signs that we can detect – halitosis, inflamed gums and calculus – but also signs that are less obvious like pain.

We believe that regular professional cleaning is essential for prevention of this disease. How frequently this needs to occur is highly variable. For some pets it may be every year, for others more frequent or less frequent treatments may be required. Professional cleaning involves a complete dental examination, scaling to remove calculus and polishing. This is performed under general anaesthetic.

Dental hygiene homecare is strongly recommended for reducing plaque and calculus build up. For highly dedicated owners and willing pets, daily brushing is the best home care available. Daily means every day. There are many pet toothbrushes on the market and it is essential that pet toothpaste is used in conjunction (never use human toothpaste).

There are many other dental products on the market in the form of diets, chews, mouth washes and water additives. We can give you the best advice on what will work best for you and your pet.