A dental cleaning is a procedure done to clean and if necessary, extract any loose and diseased teeth. Dogs and cats are prone to gum disease and excess tarter build-up on the teeth. Food particles and bacteria collect along the gum line forming plaque. If plaque is not removed minerals in the saliva combine with the plaque and form tarter/calculus. The tarter is irritating to the gums and causes an inflammation called gingivitis (reddening of the gums). It also causes bad breathe! What happens if this “tarter” is not removed?
Tarter then begins to build up under the gums and separates the gums from the teeth to form bacterial growth. This is the beginning of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can be very painful and can lead to lose teeth, abscesses and bone infection. As bacterial growth continues to increase, the bacteria may enter the bloodstream. This can cause infection of the heart valves liver and kidneys.
