How Dental Cleanings Help Dogs and Cats Live Healthier Lives
Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in dogs and cats, yet it is often not recognized until it becomes painful or advanced.
At Plantation Midtown Animal Hospital, we provide professional dental cleanings for dogs and cats to help prevent pain, infection, tooth loss, and long-term health complications.
Routine veterinary dental care is one of the most important ways to protect your pet’s comfort, health, and quality of life.
What Is Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats?
Dental disease, also known as periodontal disease, begins when plaque and bacteria build up on the teeth. Over time, plaque hardens into tartar. As dental disease progresses, bacteria move below the gumline and damage the tissues that support the teeth. This leads to pain, infection, and tooth loss. Most dental disease occurs below the gumline, where it cannot be seen during a routine exam at home.
Signs Your Pet May Need a Dental Cleaning
Many pets continue eating normally even with significant dental disease.
Common signs include:
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Yellow or brown tartar buildup
- Red or inflamed gums
- Drooling
- Pawing at the mouth
- Favoring one side of the mouth
- Difficulty chewing
- Dropping food
- Preference for soft food
- Loose or missing teeth
- Broken teeth
Even without visible signs, pets may still have painful dental disease.
Why Professional Pet Dental Cleanings Matter
- Improve Comfort and Quality of Life – Dental disease is painful. Pets often hide discomfort, but many owners notice improved energy, appetite, and behavior after treatment.
- Prevent Tooth Loss in Dogs and Cats – Untreated periodontal disease destroys the bone and tissue that support teeth, leading to irreversible tooth loss.
- Protect Overall Health – Oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation affecting the heart, liver, and kidneys.
- Save Money With Preventive Dental Care – Early treatment is significantly less expensive than advanced dental disease, extractions, or infection treatment.
Why Dental X-Rays (Dental Radiographs) Are Essential
Dental X-rays are a critical part of a complete professional dental cleaning. Up to 60% of each tooth is located below the gumline, where disease cannot be seen during a visual oral exam.
Dental radiographs allow veterinarians to detect:
- Tooth root infections
- Bone loss from periodontal disease
- Abscesses
- Fractured teeth
- Retained tooth roots
- Hidden disease below the gumline
Without dental X-rays, significant pain and infection can go undiagnosed.
Why Anesthesia Is Required for Dental Cleanings
A professional veterinary dental cleaning is a medical procedure performed under general anesthesia. This ensures a complete and pain-free procedure.
Anesthesia allows us to:
- Clean above and below the gumline
- Perform a full oral examination
- Take dental radiographs
- Treat diseased or painful teeth
- Perform extractions safely and humanely
Please note: pre-operative bloodwork is required within 90 days of all anesthetic procedures.
Risks of Non-Anesthetic Dental Cleanings
Non-anesthetic dental cleanings (sometimes called “anesthesia-free dentals”) may seem like a less stressful option, but they do not provide safe or complete dental care for dogs and cats.
Important limitations and risks include:
- No cleaning below the gumline: The most important disease occurs under the gums and is not addressed
- No dental X-rays: Hidden infections, fractures, and bone loss are missed
- Incomplete tartar removal: Only visible tooth surfaces are cleaned
- No pain control: Pets with dental disease may experience discomfort during restraint or after the procedure
- False sense of security: Teeth may look cleaner while serious disease continues underneath
- Delayed diagnosis: Conditions like abscesses, tooth resorption, and root infections may go untreated
Because of these limitations, professional veterinary dental cleanings under anesthesia are considered the standard of care for proper diagnosis and treatment of dental disease.
Feline Dental Disease: FORLs (Tooth Resorption in Cats)
Cats commonly develop a painful condition called Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORLs). This extremely painful condition causes the body to break down tooth structure, often starting below the gumline. Although severe cases can have red lesions on the visible portion of the tooth, dental X-rays are often required to diagnose FORLs accurately.
Signs may include:
- Drooling
- Decreased appetite
- Chewing on one side
- Chattering while eating
- Pawing at the mouth
- Preference for soft food
- Irritability
Dental Extractions in Dogs and Cats
In some cases, tooth extraction may be necessary due to severe periodontal disease, infection, broken teeth or tooth resorption. The need for extractions is determined during the complete oral exam under anesthesia. While extractions may sound concerning, most pets do very well after dental surgery. Dogs and cats adapt quickly and continue to eat comfortably and live long, happy lives, even with missing teeth. Many owners actually notice their pets are more comfortable, eat better, and act more like themselves after painful teeth are removed.
Please note: The cost of extractions is not included in the base dental cleaning and will be determined at the time of the oral examination based on the severity and number of affected teeth.
What Happens During a Professional Dental Cleaning?
A complete veterinary dental cleaning includes:
- Full oral examination
- Dental radiographs (X-rays) when indicated and approved
- Scaling above and below the gumline
- Tooth polishing
- Evaluation of each tooth and the oral cavity for disease
- Extractions if necessary and approved
How Often Should Dogs and Cats Get Dental Cleanings?
Dental cleaning frequency depends on:
- Breed
- Age
- Genetics
- Tooth alignment
- Home dental care routine
Small breed dogs and cats often require more frequent dental cleanings due to faster tartar buildup, crowded teeth, and evidence of tooth resorption.
Why Can’t I Just Brush My Pet’s Teeth At Home?
At-home dental care (brushing, dental chews, water additives) is helpful for preventing plaque buildup, but it cannot treat existing dental disease. Once tartar forms or disease develops below the gumline, at-home care is no longer enough. Brushing cannot remove hardened tartar or reach infection under the gums, and it cannot diagnose hidden problems like periodontal disease or FORLs. Professional dental cleanings under anesthesia are the only way to fully clean below the gumline and treat active disease.
The best results come from using both together:
- Professional cleanings treat existing disease and reset oral health
- After a professional cleaning, at-home care helps slow plaque buildup and extend the amount of time between cleanings
Here’s a link to the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s approved dental products: https://vohc.org/accepted-products/
We truly appreciate you supporting our small, locally owned business by shopping on our online store: https://plantationpet.covetruspharmacy.com/
Schedule Your Pet’s Dental Exam at Plantation Midtown Animal Hospital
If your pet has bad breath, visible tartar, or has not had a dental evaluation recently, now is the best time to schedule a veterinary dental cleaning. Early treatment helps prevent pain, infection, and tooth loss. It also helps your pet stay healthier and more comfortable for years to come.
Contact Plantation Midtown Animal Hospital today at (954) 473-8090 to schedule your pet’s dental evaluation and take advantage of our August dental promotion.