When we have pets, we often look for clear signs that they are healthy, like a shiny coat, clear eyes, and a happy purr or wagging tail. But a lot of the time, people don’t think about their dental health until it hurts. This is a “quiet” part of taking care of pets. Research has shown that by the time they are three years old, about 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have signs of oral disease.
Not brushing your pet’s teeth can do more than just make their breath smell bad. It can also damage the heart, liver, and kidneys. This full guide will teach you the best ways to check your pet’s teeth, the newest treatments in modern veterinary dentistry, and how to keep your pet’s teeth healthy at home.

The Foundation: Experts Look at Your Mouth

First, you should take your mouth to the vet. Home checks are important, but the only way to find out what’s going on under the gum line is to see a dentist.
During a routine checkup, your vet looks at your pet to see if there are any signs of trouble:
• Gingivitis: Gums that are red, swollen, or bleeding.

• Plaque and tartar are yellow or brown spots that appear on teeth.
• Broken Teeth: Dogs that chew on hard stones or antlers often break their teeth.
• Oral tumors: lumps or bumps that owners may not be able to see.

What digital radiography is capable of

Digital dental radiography is one of the best things that has happened to the field of veterinary medicine. You can’t tell how healthy a pet’s teeth are just by looking at them because 60% of their structure is below the gum line.Digital X-rays let vets see abscesses, bone loss, and root decay that they couldn’t see before.Your pet won’t have to sleep for as long because this technology is faster and takes better pictures than regular film.

Choices for professional cleaning and care

If your vet sees a lot of buildup, they will suggest a Professional Dental Cleaning (Prophylaxis). To do this, you can’t just brush people’s teeth. You have to put them to sleep with general anesthesia. This keeps the pet calm and pain-free while the vet cleans the “subgingival” area, which is under the gums and where the most harmful bacteria live.

Fluoride, scaling, and polishing

First, the teeth are scaled to get rid of tartar, and then they are polished to make them smooth.

Advanced Veterinary Dentistry: Not Just the Basics
Veterinary dentistry has come a long way, just like human medicine. We don’t just “pull teeth” anymore; we save them.
1. Endodontics (Root Canals)
If a vital tooth, like a canine or carnassial tooth, breaks, a vet dentist may do endodontic therapy.Keeping the tooth in the mouth keeps the jaw strong and stops the pain from a nerve that is exposed. To do this, the infected pulp is taken out and the canal is sealed.
2. Using lasers to help
Laser therapy is a new, non-invasive way to speed up the healing of wounds and reduce swelling. Lasers can kill bacteria and help tissue grow back without cutting into the skin for severe gingivitis or feline stomatitis.

3. Orthodontics
Pets with braces don’t need to have a “pretty smile”; they just need to work well. If your pet has a malocclusion, which means their teeth aren’t lined up right and one of them pokes into the roof of their mouth or keeps their jaw from closing, you can use braces or spacers to move the teeth into a comfortable and useful position.

How to Look at and Clean Your Pet’s Teeth at Home

You need a professional to do a deep clean, but you don’t need surgery because of your daily routine. This is how to clean well and “check” things at home.

Step 1: The “Lip Flip” Test
Once a week, gently pull your pet’s lips up. Look at the gum where the tooth touches it to see if it is red. Take a sniff. A lot of people say “dog breath,” but if your breath smells really bad, like rotten, you have an infection, not just that you don’t have any mints.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Tools
Don’t put toothpaste on your pet.It has fluoride and xylitol, which is a sweetener that is bad for dogs and cats. Instead, use pet toothpaste that comes in flavors like chicken or beef.
A lot of pets are afraid of brushing their teeth with a regular long-handled toothbrush. A finger toothbrush is a small piece of rubber that you can put on the end of your finger. It feels more like playing with a pet than going to the doctor, and you have more control.

Step 3: How to brush
1. Let them lick the paste off your finger for a few days after you show it to them.
2. Touch the Teeth: Gently rub your finger along their gums.
3.The angle of 45 degrees: Brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and move it in small circles.
4. Look at the outside: The side of the teeth that faces the cheeks gets the most plaque. Don’t worry too much about the surfaces on the inside (the tongue side) unless your pet is really helpful.

What grooming and food do

The food you give your pet has a big impact on the bacteria in their mouth. A lot of companies make dental diets, which are kibble that is bigger and has more fiber. When the pet bites down on the kibble, it doesn’t break the tooth; it “scrubs” it instead.
Also, remember that it’s very important to have a professional groom your pet. Just like people, pets can also get a “dry socket” if the blood clot in the extraction site moves.
• Soft Food: For 10 to 14 days, only give them canned food or kibble that has been soaked.
• No Tugs: Don’t let your dog pull on things or give them hard chew toys while they are healing.
• Watching: Be on the lookout for too much face-pawing or not eating.

Finally, smiles that last forever

One of the best things you can do for your pet is to brush their teeth every day.From brushing your teeth every night to using high-tech digital radiography and laser therapy, everything you do matters.
If your pet has a healthy mouth, they can enjoy their favorite toys and treats for a long time. If you haven’t checked your pet’s teeth in a while, today is a good day to do so.