By age three, more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some degree of dental disease. Most owners have no idea. Pets are stoic about dental pain, and the early signs are easy to miss. Untreated dental disease doesn't just cause bad breath. It causes chronic pain, tooth loss, and infection that can damage the heart, kidneys, and liver. Dental care is one of the most impactful things you can do for your pet's lifespan and quality of life.
Why Dental Health Matters
The bacteria that build up under inflamed gums don't stay in the mouth. They enter the bloodstream every time your pet eats or chews, and over time they damage the heart valves, kidneys, and liver. Studies have linked chronic periodontal disease in pets to:
- Endocarditis - bacterial infection of the heart valves
- Kidney disease - a leading cause of death in older cats
- Liver inflammation - from chronic bacterial seeding
- Chronic systemic inflammation - that accelerates aging
Treating dental disease early adds years to your pet's life. That's not marketing. That's what the evidence shows.
Signs of Dental Disease
Most pets don't show obvious signs until disease is advanced. Watch for:
- Bad breath - the #1 sign; your pet's breath should not be offensive
- Tartar buildup - yellow or brown crust on teeth, especially the back ones
- Inflamed gums - red, swollen, or bleeding
- Reluctance to eat hard food - or chewing on only one side
- Drooling or face rubbing - or pawing at the mouth
- Loose or missing teeth - obvious but often missed
- Subtle behavioral changes - less playful, less affectionate, hiding
Professional Dental Cleanings
A proper dental cleaning is far more than the cosmetic tartar scraping you've seen advertised. It's a medical procedure performed under general anesthesia (see our surgical services page for our anesthesia and monitoring standards) because:
- The disease that matters is below the gumline - we can't scale and probe under the gums on an awake patient
- Awake pets move - sharp dental instruments around a moving mouth are not safe for the pet or the team
- Thorough cleaning requires access - to every surface of every tooth, including the back molars most owners never see
What's included in a dental cleaning at Ramtown:
- Bloodwork before anesthesia to confirm safety
- IV catheter, fluids, and monitoring (same standards as surgery)
- Full mouth probing and charting of every tooth
- Ultrasonic scaling above and below the gumline
- Polishing to smooth the enamel
- Extractions of any teeth that can't be saved (we always discuss with you before extracting)
- Post-procedure pain control
- Written report of findings and home care recommendations
About "anesthesia-free dentals" - please don't do this to your pet. They look like dental cleanings, but they aren't, and they physically cannot be done safely. Trying to clean teeth on a conscious animal almost always results in real harm. Tongue lacerations from sharp instruments slipping in a moving mouth, broken teeth from forced extractions, jaw injuries, aspiration of dislodged tartar into the lungs. And the entire procedure is theater anyway: it cleans the visible portion of the tooth and leaves the actual disease, the bacterial infection below the gumline, completely untouched, because no awake animal will tolerate the probing required to address it. You pay money, your pet gets traumatized (and sometimes injured), and the disease that is actually shortening their life continues unchecked. Every major veterinary dental organization, including the American Veterinary Dental College, has formally advised against anesthesia-free dental cleanings. There is no version of this practice that is safe, effective, or humane. If a groomer, mobile service, or non veterinary clinic offers this, walk away.
The Day of the Cleaning
Because dental cleanings are performed under general anesthesia, your pet needs to fast from both food and water after midnight the night before. Plan to drop off in the morning so we can complete pre-anesthetic bloodwork and review the procedure with you. We'll call you when your pet is out of anesthesia and waking up safely. Pick-up is usually the same afternoon, and you'll go home with a written report of findings, any extractions performed, and home care recommendations.
Extractions When Needed
Sometimes a tooth is beyond saving. The root is dead, the bone is destroyed, or fracture has exposed the pulp. Extracting it is the kindest option. Pets do remarkably well after extractions. A dog or cat with no teeth at all eats, plays, and lives a totally normal life. Pain relief after extraction usually exceeds the discomfort of the procedure within a few days.
Home Dental Care
What you do between cleanings matters more than the cleaning itself. The gold standard is daily toothbrushing with pet toothpaste. Most pets learn to tolerate it within a couple weeks if you start gradually. If toothbrushing isn't realistic, the next best options are:
- VOHC approved dental chews - look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal of approval
- Dental diets - prescription kibble specifically designed to scrape teeth as your pet chews
- Dental water additives - lower benefit but better than nothing
We'll show you what works for your specific pet at your next visit.
