Veterinary medical dental care is an essential component of a preventive healthcare plan. Quality dental care is necessary to provide good health. If left untreated, diseases of the oral cavity are painful and can contribute to other local or systemic diseases.
Proper Dental Care is Important
What Constitutes Excellent Dental Care?
- Ability to take dental radiographs (x-rays) : without dental x-rays, evaluation below the gumline leaves behind abscesses and structually unsound teeth.
- Instruments should be steam or gas sterilized between each patient: often in some clinics, instruments are only washed or cold strerilized ( place in disinfectant only) between patients.
- Complete dental charts showing extractions, missing teeth, and health status of remaining Dental procedures performed with incomplete records do not provide adequate plans.
- Use of nerve blocks to decrease patient pain after extractions.
- Gingival flaps to simplify the procedure and decrease pain in the mouth.
- Use of single suture packs while suturing in the mouth. Do not use one suture pack on multiple animals to cut costs.
- Use of high speed drills to section multiple rooted teeth: this decreases difficulty of extraction and diminishes pain for the patient.
- Polishing of teeth after cleaning to smooth the tooth surface and slow recurrence of dental tarter and
- Recommendations for future care and a plan.
Dental care is one of the most important treatments we perform to keep your pet healthy.