Cleaning Dog Teeth

Due to great veterinary medicine, our canines are living longer. This is due to preventative medicine which includes dog teeth cleaning. We never worried about cleaning out pet’s teeth until recent years, but just like in humans, we have found that oral health is very important to our health and to our pet's health.

Man’s best friend rarely gets cavities, but our furry friends do get gum disease and plaque build-up. There are products that can help reduce the build-up of tartar and thus help alleviate gum disease. Some of these products are put into their daily drinking water and your pet never suspects a thing. Another way to alleviate gum disease is to brush your dog’s teeth at least four times a week, if not daily. Nothing helps fight tartar and plaque better than a good dog teeth cleaning.

Sometimes it is necessary for the veterinarian to perform a professional cleaning. If you have never experienced dog teeth cleaning; here are a few things you might want to know. First of all, it is not inexpensive, but many offices offer payment plans and the price varies depending on where you live. The price is generally somewhere in the range of $200-$500.

If teeth have to be extracted, the cost could be considerably more. During a dog teeth cleaning, your dog will have to be anesthetized, then x-rays of the mouth will be taken to determine the health of the teeth and bones in the mouth. Your canine baby will then receive antibacterial solution. The doctor or technician will then use an ultrasonic scaler to remove calculus above and below the gum.

All teeth are then inspected for gum disease. The teeth are then polished, more antibacterial solution is applied; and basically this is a typical dog teeth cleaning. Of course everything is recorded within a dental chart, just like for humans, and follow-up appointments are scheduled.

Although a dog teeth cleaning is generally very safe, you have to weigh the benefits against the anesthesia risks. This is very important especially if you have an elderly dog or a dog in questionable health.

There are very effective alternatives which are safe with respect to dog teeth cleaning. Gels and sprays can be used quite effectively for removing and keeping tartar from building up on dog teeth. These gels and sprays for cleaning dog teeth are completely safe and have no side effects whatsoever for dogs. They are quite inexpensive also compared to the high cost of dental scaling performed at the vets office. Additionally, these products word very well for older dogs who should never undergo unnecessary anesthesia procedures.

Although the dog teeth cleaning products do not act immediately for removing tartar, their correct and continued use for a month or two will remove even the most stubborn of tartar buildups. Best of all, with continued and regular maintenance treatments 3 or 4 times per week, the teeth will remain tartar free from most breeds of dogs.

Always check with your vet on what he or she suggests for keeping your dogs teeth clean.