Pet Dental Care

They don’t call it dog breath for no reason! All kidding aside, if your cat or dog has bad breath, swollen gums, loose teeth, or trouble chewing there is probably a reason.

When a pet has bad teeth, heavy tartar, root exposure, or abscesses they are continuously swallowing bacteria. This can lead to other systemic problems including kidney disease, heart disease, gastrointestinal upset, and septicemia. Part of the annual exam includes an oral assessment.

We look at the gums and teeth to see if there is excessive tartar, fractured teeth, inflamed or swollen gums, gingival growths, or other dental issues. If we determine that your pet needs dental care, we use general anesthesia and perform a dental prophy (ultrasonic scaling and polishing) to remove tartar, plaque, and bacteria from the surface of the teeth and gums. A doctor then assesses the entire mouth to look for fractures, cavities, unhealthy teeth or gums, root exposure, and more. Once we have determined if additional dental care is needed we can proceed with extractions, periodontal treatments, etc.

After a dental cleaning, your pets will be starting fresh with a clean and healthy mouth. We will spend time advising you on how to use preventative products to extend the time between dental cleanings.

Dental Radiology

Kings Vet Hospital uses a small handheld x-ray machine to take dental radiographs. We can look at the teeth below the surface of the gums for root degeneration, abscesses, and other problems under the surface. Often times through the use of dental radiology we can determine that a problem tooth can be saved or that a healthy looking tooth needs to be removed. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to dental health.

If you have questions about what to expect during a dental cleaning or other surgical procedure, please go to New Patient Forms to read our pre-surgical packet.