Dental Prophylaxis or Cleaning
Why is it important for my pet to have its teeth cleaned?
Tarter consists primarily of three things: Food particles, minerals from the saliva, and bacteria. Persistent tarter on the teeth slowly destroys the bone that holds the tooth in place. Many pets also develop very sore gums and mouth inflammation due to tarter. The bacteria in tarter gets into your pet's bloodstream and settles out all over the body, causing damage to joints, heart valves and other internal organs. Having your pet's teeth professionally cleaned once or twice yearly by your veterinarian can add several years to your pet's life. Beware anesthesia-free dental cleaning services, as this only results in a superficial cleaning of the visible crowns of the teeth, and leaves tarter in all the inaccessible places such as between teeth and under the gum line. It is this tarter that does the continual damage to the body.