Periodontal (Gum) Disease
The most common dental disease in dogs and cats: plaque and tartar drive gum inflammation that, untreated, destroys the bone and ligament holding the teeth in place. Much of it lives below the gumline and is silent until advanced, which is why grading, dental x-rays and a proper clean under anaesthetic matter, and why daily home care is the real prevention.
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Why dental x-rays matter: the disease you can't see
You booked her in for a clean. Then the estimate came back, and there was a line on it for dental x-rays, and it pushed the price up more than you expected. A fair question forms at that point: why does she need x-rays...
Dental disease grades explained: what grade 2, 3 and 4 mean
You were probably standing in the consult room when it happened. The vet had a look in your dog's or cat's mouth, said something like "she's a grade 3", handed you a leaflet about a dental, and moved on to the next...
What actually happens during a dental (it's a lot more than a clean)
It's just a clean, right? That's how most people picture it when they book their dog or cat in for "a dental". A quick scrub, the teeth come out shinier, she's home by teatime. The word "clean" does a lot of quiet...
The extraction phone call: why teeth come out
Your phone rings, and it's the practice. Your heart lifts for a second, because you've been waiting all morning, and then the vet says the sentence you weren't ready for. "She's doing really well under the anaesthetic....
Eating after extractions: better, not worse
She's home. The anaesthetic hasn't fully lifted, so she's a bit wobbly and a bit vacant, and when she yawns you can see the dark line of dissolvable stitches where teeth used to be. The discharge notes say "soft food...
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Periodontal (Gum) Disease is supported in our Teeth & Mouth space, a broader, livelier community for related conditions, so you are never posting into an empty room.
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