Your pet has been diagnosed with dental disease and a professional cleaning and examination
    under anesthesia has been recommended.  There is a common misconception that dental disease is
    “just dirty teeth” and is a cosmetic problem (“stinky breath”). “Dirty teeth” may be the single
    phrase that has done the greatest disservice to our pets in the history of veterinary medicine. The
    phrase invokes a sense that dental disease is a cosmetic problem.  The real problem goes far
    beyond cosmetics. Dental disease is an infection.  This infection:

•        Starts as plaque, which contains 300,000 bacteria per cubic millimeter. Plaque and tartar that
          we can see translate into inflammation and infection of the jaw that we can’t see – especially
          when there is gingivitis (red gums).  
•        Becomes tartar when minerals are deposited in the plaque matrix
•        Eventually results in destruction of the ligament that anchors the tooth
•        Becomes infection in the jaw bone or jaw abscesses  Many people with jaw abscesses have no
          idea that they have a dental problem, they just know they don’ t feel well

       Just like infection anywhere else in the body, dental disease:

•        Compromises the immune system. The body’s response to chronic infection becomes abnormal
          and the body begins to attack itself  
•        Causes loosening of the teeth by erosion of the tooth socket.  At this point, the only treatment
          is extraction of the tooth;  loose teeth are very painful
•        Causes severe pain.  “If you don’t eat, you die” – pets usually continue eating; pain may be
          expressed as changes in chewing behavior or activity;
•        Spreads bacteria through the blood to other parts of the body
•        Showers the body with inflammation

       Adverse consequences of untreated dental disease include:

•        Kidney/urinary tract infection. Kidneys filter the blood and trap the bacteria in their tissue;
          bacteria hit the bladder when they “spill over.” These infections are very difficult to treat and
          may result in kidney failure
•        Kidney failure due to chronic infection
•        Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia
•        Exacerbation of arthritis pain
•        Bacterial pneumonia
•        Difficulty eating and weight loss

     In accordance with the recommendations of veterinary dental specialists, we perform our dental
      treatments in two stages.

    The first periodontal treatment, under anesthesia, involves cleaning the teeth, making dental
    radiographs, probing below the gumline, and performing a visual examination of all oral tissue.  
    Loose teeth are generally extracted at this time.  

    A second treatment, also under anesthesia, is scheduled when oral surgery is required.  Staging
    dental treatment this way allows us to plan for your pet’s optimal care and safety and allows us to
    provide you with a more accurate estimate of the cost of your pet’s care.
Dental Disease