When you're considering pet health care, one topic that pet parents sometimes overlook is dental health. Teeth cleaning for a dog or cat is important at all life stages. Did you know that by the age of three years old, the majority of pets have some form of periodontal (gum) disease, according to the American Veterinary Dental College?

Good dental care is more than just brushing their pearly whites. Sometimes, a veterinary dental procedure like a deep teeth cleaning for your dog or cat is essential to prevent serious dental issues.

A Fresh Start

A healthy dog mouth or sparkling kitty grin often begins at home with the range of available food, treats, and toys that keep bacteria from building up on teeth and gums. Dogs and cats can benefit from a thorough teeth cleaning at home with products that you can purchase at any pet store. However, vet dental care is not just for extreme cases. Instead of waiting until you notice tartar buildup or bad breath, schedule a deep dental cleaning once a year at the vet's office. A professional pet teeth cleaning can accomplish more than regular teeth brushing at home (just like at a human's dentist visit), and a mix of home care and vet attention is the best way to reduce dental issues for your furry companion.

Deep Cleaning Details

Vet dental visits vary depending on the size, species, and the severity of any tooth problems. Cleanings will include anesthesia. For a deep clean, a vet has to access the area under the gumline—an uncomfortable and startling procedure for a pet that is fully awake. Anesthetizing your furry friend is crucial for checking the gumline and preventing periodontal disease. Trying to clean under your cat or dog's gums at home might injure your pet and earn you a snap and a scratch, so this is a procedure best left to professionals.

Another component of deep cleaning involves scaling and polishing the crown of the tooth (the visible part). Your vet will have a variety of tools to suit your pet's mouth and needs. Some may look like the picks and scrapers your dental hygienist uses, but the pieces of a veterinary dental kit are shaped specifically for animal teeth. Your vet will also know the special treatment required for every tooth from a huge Great Dane molar to a tiny kitten incisor.

Finally, a vet may take x-rays while your pet is under anesthesia. Just like human dentists use x-rays to find tooth and jaw problems that are invisible to the naked eye, vets need them to determine your pet's dental health needs.