February is Dental Awareness Month!. It is a time to year to consider looking in your pets mouth and evaluating their needs. Some pets may not tolerate an oral exam. For those that do, it is time to take a look under the hood. Bad breathe is more than just stinky, it's a sign of looming dental disease. Plus for everything we can see there is also disease lurking hidden underneath the gum line! Just ask your dentist!
We see some diseases more frequently than others. Common occurrences include but are not limited to tooth fractures, enamel defects, furcation exposure, and periodontal pockets. Missing teeth sometimes are more than just missing teeth. They can be missing due to congenital anomalies, previously extracted teeth, retained roots, or an impacted tooth. Sometimes those cute little baby teeth decide not to fall out, but even they can have periodontal and orthodontic ramifications as early as days to weeks after the permanent tooth has erupted.
If it has been a while let us know. Most pets need to have their teeth scaled and polished once every 1-3 years.
