Pet Dental Care
Good dental care plays a crucial role in the quality of your pet's
life. Dental disease is the most common medical problem seen in pets
and can lead to pain, tooth loss and generalized disease.
Unfortunately, the importance of dental care to a pet's health has
long been underemphasized by the veterinary profession. In March
2005, Main Street Veterinary Hospital made a new commitment to our patients' dental health with the construction of our dental suite and the addition
of a veterinarian with advanced training in veterinary dentistry.
Main Street Veterinary Hospital is proud to offer advanced dental care to pets. We provide free dental consultations to our clients and are happy to give you a tour of our dental suite. All dental cleanings performed at Main Street Veterinary Hospital include digital dental X-rays and tooth-by-tooth assessments by our veterinarian who has advanced training in dentistry. Pets anesthetized for dental procedures, are constantly monitored by a doctor and trained surgery technician. Because your pet's comfort is of the utmost importance to us, we offer safe and effective pain management, including local anesthesia to numb your pet's mouth if necessary. Should your pet have damaged or diseased teeth, rest assured that extraction is not the only option.
Other dental services offered by Main Street Veterinary Hospital include:
- Periodontal surgery and therapy
- Root canal therapy, crowns and restorations
- Care for oral fractures and oral emergencies
- Home care coaching
- Preventive care via Oral ATP™, the Oral Assessment, Treatment and Prevention protocol
What is the Oral Assessment, Treatment and Prevention protocol?
The Oral Assessment, Treatment and Prevention (Oral ATP™)
protocol was developed by a leading
veterinary dental expert and a major pet care company to provide veterinarians with a
comprehensive approach for pet dental care.
In the "Assessment" portion of the Oral ATP™ protocol, Main Street Veterinary Hospital reviews your pet's medical history and conducts a general physical and health exam. We may also perform bloodwork, urine and fecal tests. Before anesthetizing your pet we will perform a facial and oral exam, which allows us to find the painful, inflamed or swollen areas or your pet's oral cavity. While your pet is under anesthesia, we will perform a complete examination of your pet's mouth and gums and take full mouth intraoral radiographs (X-rays) as well.
Dental "Treatment" for your pet includes a full cleaning, in which our veterinarian will clean, polish and probe each tooth individually. We will perform a soft tissue exam to check for cancers, sores and other oral problems. In this stage of the Oral ATP™ process, we will also address any abnormalities including periodontal disease; missing, fractured, rotated or extra teeth; retained deciduous ("baby") teeth; and oral tumors or lesions.
Prevention is a crucial part of any dental care regimen. The veterinarians at Main Street Veterinary Hospital stress the importance of regular brushing of your pet's teeth, which is the most effective step you can take to prevent oral disease. Giving your pet daily dental chews and feeding a dental-friendly diet are also helpful in maintaining your pet's oral health.
Facts About Oral Disease
Oral disease in your pet is not always noticeable to the untrained eye. Here are a few facts about dental disease that may provide some hints about your pet's oral health:
- Bad breath is not normal! Halitosis, or bad breath, is often the first sign of a dental problem in pets. Don't delay a visit to Main Street Veterinary Hospital if your pet has bad breath! Dental disease is treated more effectively when caught early.
- Periodontal disease is the most common and most overlooked disease process of dogs and cats.
- Dental disease causes significant pain that your pet cannot tell you about; they often suffer in silence.
- Animals with oral disease rarely stop eating. Regular visits to the veterinarian, including regular dental checkups, are the best way to ensure your pet's dental health.
- Dental infections, if left untreated, can often lead to larger systemic problems in your pet due to oral bacteria entering the blood stream and damaging the kidneys, heart and liver.
For more information about Main Street Veterinary Hospital's dental care department, please read our letter about Dental Care to Pet Owners or Dental Talk for in-depth information about dental care.