When your dog is a year old, it’s time to consider a professional dental cleaning for your best friend, if you haven’t already.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends a full dental cleaning for small- to medium-breed dogs by the time they’re 1 year old and for large- to giant-breed dogs by the time they’re 2 years old. Dental cleanings are recommended annually thereafter.
Prior to the dental cleaning, your veterinarian may recommend lab work to ensure your puppy is healthy enough for anesthesia. As much as your VCA care team wishes they could tell your dog to say “ah” and remain still, conscious dogs aren’t the most compliant of dental patients. Anesthesia allows for a thorough dental examination, teeth cleaning and polishing. VCA’s anesthetic protocols prevent nausea and vomiting, common issues faced by dogs who’ve been put under anesthesia.
Once your puppy is anesthetized, intubated and doing well under anesthesia, the first step is the unconscious dental examination. During the dental examination, any abnormalities are noted in your pet’s medical record. A dental probe is used to check for pockets around the teeth, which could allow for accumulation of debris and subsequent decay. After the full examination, your VCA care team may contact you with any concerns before proceeding with treatment. Otherwise, the VCA care team will move forward with cleaning.
During the cleaning part of the procedure, hand scalers and ultrasonic scalers are used to remove plaque and calculus. The VCA care team can reach plaque and tartar under the gumline, which is not an area you can reach when regularly brushing teeth. This is important because tartar under the gumline is a main cause of periodontal disease. Once the scaling is done, the teeth are polished to remove microscopic scratches that plaque can cling to.
Prevention of dental disease now is better than treatment later. Over 80% of dogs will develop periodontal disease by 3 years of age, which is a painful condition that involves inflammation of the tissues around the tooth. With regular dental cleanings, you can prevent significant periodontal disease from occurring. In some cases, these cleanings can save your dog’s teeth!
Speak with your VCA care team if you have questions about dental cleanings or would like to get your pet scheduled for their first full cleaning. You can add dental cleanings to your CareClub® membership plan, which will help distribute the cost over the course of the year.
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CareClub Memberships are preventive pet health care plans and not pet insurance. CareClub Membership covers only the selected health care services and products which are specifically identified in the applicable CareClub Membership agreement.
