Dental Awareness Month- Simba’s Dental Cleaning Adventure
Dental Awareness Month- Simba’s Dental Cleaning Adventure
February 2017
According to the American Veterinary Dental College, most cats and dogs show signs of periodontal disease by the age of three. Left untreated, periodontal disease can cause multiple health problems in both cats and dogs. Being proactive in dental preventive care, can not only help prevent and maintain periodontal disease in both cats and dogs, but it can help preserve teeth and help prevent tooth decay and loss. Dental tartar and build-up can not only lead to foul breath, but it can also increase the risk of gum disease and other diseases as well as tooth decay and loss.
What is Periodontal Disease?
How Does Dental Tartar Form Onto My Pet’s Teeth?
When bacteria in the mouth form plaque- dental tartar forms. Minerals in the saliva help the plaque stick to the teeth, causing dental tartar to form. Bacteria and plaque cause periodontal disease, or gum disease.
The only way to remove dental tartar and calculus from the teeth is by use of an ultrasonic dental scaler, which creates vibrations through ultrasonic waves, removing tartar from the teeth. A Dental Cleaning is the most effective way to help remove dental calculus and plaque from the teeth and underneath the gumlines.
Is your pet experiencing bad breath?
In order to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria from your pet’s mouth, a professional dental cleaning is recommended for your pet. Yearly oral health examinations and professional dental cleanings are the safest and most effective way to practice quality oral health care. Taking good care of your pet’s oral health is very important for not only your pet’s overall healthy well-being, but it can help prevent and manage periodontal disease. Does your pet need a Dental Cleaning?
Simba’s Dental Cleaning
Simba, a 13 year-old DSH male, is here to share his story about his dental cleaning/oral health procedure experience here at South Town Animal Hospital!
Simba has been a healthy cat who had developed dental tartar on his teeth. He tried to reduce the tartar on his teeth by switching to a specific dental diet. Although dental diets are a great incorporation in prevention of dental tartar on the teeth- dental diets themselves cannot remove any buildup of tartar once it has formed on the teeth.
Pre-Surgical Oral Examination
Prior to Simba’s dental cleaning, Dr. Crittenden had examined Simba’s teeth.She had noticed that his teeth showed heavy tartar, although no gum recession. The only way to remove the heavy tartar that had calcified onto Simba’s teeth was with him having a dental cleaning, which involves using an ultrasonic dental scaler to remove heavy plaque and tartar buildup off of the teeth and underneath the gumline. He was not expected to have any dental extractions during his dental cleaning procedure.
Pre-Anesthetic Blood Work
For all surgical procedures (those that require a patient to be under anesthesia), South Town Animal Hospital recommends that your pet have blood work prior to any surgical procedure. Although anesthesia is generally very safe, it is best that blood work be performed so that we know that your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia.
Compassionate Surgical Care
Dental cleanings begin with compassionate surgical care. South Town Animal Hospital’s surgical suite is equipped with state of the art surgical and anesthetic-monitoring equipment to ensure continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate, capillary refill time, blood pressure, IV fluid level, temperature, and heart rhythm. All surgical procedures begin with a physical examination by the veterinarian to assess that your pet is healthy enough for surgery.
State of the Art Surgical Equipment
South Town Animal Hospital uses State of the Art Surgical Equipment, All-Day-Communication, and Pain Management Plans specifically created to meet all needs of your pet.
Ultrasonic Dental Scaling
An ultrasonic dental scaler is used to remove dental tartar from the teeth.
How Does It Work?
The ultrasonic dental scaler uses high-frequency vibrations to create a warm scaling tip- generating ultrasonic waves which bubble and help remove plaque.
Simba’s “Before and After” Dental Cleaning
Before
After 
Post-Surgical Recovery
Once the dental cleaning was all finished, Simba’s vitals were closely monitored before relieving him from surgical equipment. He was then wrapped in a warm blanket and cuddled as he was monitored after the surgical procedure. With a lot of love and care, Simba felt safe and comfortable in the arm’s of our veterinary technician.
