Dental disease is as common in dogs as it is in humans. The most common form of dental disease in humans is caries (cavities). However, this is not the case in dogs. The most common form of canine dental disease is tartar buildup. This causes irritation of the gums around the base of the teeth (gingivitis), resulting in exposure of the roots. Ultimately, this leads to infection and tooth loss.
Isn't it correct that dogs that eat dry dog food don't have tartar buildup?
There are many misconceptions about tartar buildup in dogs. Diet is probably much less important than most people think. Because dry food is not as sticky as canned food, it does not adhere to the teeth as much and thus, does not cause tartar buildup as rapidly. However, eating most types dry foods does not remove tartar from the teeth. Some specially formulated food can help to scrape some amounts of tartar from teeth, but once a significant amount has formed, a professional cleaning is necessary.
One of the main factors determining the amount of tartar buildup is the individual chemistry in the mouth. Some dogs need yearly cleanings; other dogs need a cleaning only once every few years.
What does tartar do to the teeth?
What is involved in cleaning my dog's teeth?
Because a proper cleaning of the teeth requires complete cooperation of the patient, anesthesia is required to thoroughly clean the teeth. Although anesthesia always carries a degree of risk, the modern anesthetics in use in our hospital minimize this risk, even for older dogs.
There are four steps in the cleaning process that will be used on your dog:
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