When your dog has gingivitis (the red area around the gums) or bleeds when brushing his teeth, you should care and clean your dog's teeth. Many dogs only clean their teeth once a year. It should be noted that annual tooth cleaning may not be suitable for all pets. If your pet is prone to oral problems, you can adjust the frequency of tooth cleaning to two or three times a year. Diet, chewing behavior and brushing frequency are important factors affecting the probability of dental disease and the progress rate of dental disease in pets.

Larger dogs usually only eat dry food and chew moderately, so they are not as prone to periodontal disease as smaller dogs. Small dogs usually have crowded teeth and are unlikely to eat only dry food or chew exercise, so all these factors will increase their risk of periodontal disease. Any damage to teeth or gums will also increase the possibility of periodontal disease.

What tests do you need to do before dental surgery?

Your pet usually needs general anesthesia before proper dental surgery. But before anesthesia, your veterinarian should give it a comprehensive physical examination, in addition to some basic blood tests, including: liver and kidney function evaluation and blood cell count. If you have kidney disease, urine analysis should also be part of the examination.

Why is your dog drugged?

If your dog is awake, the veterinarian can't check and clean all his teeth effectively and safely. For example: dental X-ray, which is helpful to correctly evaluate the dog's dental disease, but it can't be done when the pet is awake. In addition, any type of tooth extraction operation needs to give anesthetics to dogs. Even the most routine tooth washing needs anesthesia, because our pets have to constantly wash their teeth and remove dirt during the tooth washing process, which is unbearable for sober pets.

How is the dog's dental surgery performed?

After your dog is under general anesthesia, your veterinarian will examine all his teeth and gums. If any periodontal pockets are found, the veterinarian will evaluate the degree of damage hidden under the gum line through dental X-rays. Then, the veterinarian will properly handle the sick tooth. He will first scrape off the tartar with an ultrasonic instrument and a vibrating probe. This method has the least damage to enamel. After removing all the tartar and plaque, the veterinarian will use a special tooth polishing agent to make the teeth smoother.

How long does the dental operation take?

The duration of dental surgery varies greatly. Simple tooth cleaning may take 20-40 minutes. Surgical treatment of any dental disease requires probe diagnosis, necessary tooth extraction and medication besides cleaning, so the whole process will last longer.

What risks and complications will dental surgery bring?

The risk of dental surgery is usually small, but it mainly depends on the risk of anesthesia. Many people have great worries and panic about anesthetizing their pets, and they are afraid of various complications after receiving anesthesia. However, the progress of medical monitoring has greatly reduced the risk of anesthesia. Therefore, veterinarians usually evaluate your pet properly before surgery to solve any medical problems, which is also very helpful to reduce the risk of anesthesia. Other risks include excessive bleeding after tooth extraction, broken roots or surrounding bones, and damage to adjacent healthy teeth. However, these risks are unlikely to occur.

What kind of care do you need after dental surgery?

The way of postoperative care depends on the type of operation. Dogs generally don't need special care after simple tooth washing. If tooth extraction or periodontal treatment is late, you can provide soft food, antibiotics, mouthwash, etc. to the dog during the recovery period to help him tide over the difficulties.

How long should the dog be hospitalized after dental surgery?

Most dental operations will be completed within one hour, and your dog may only need to stay in hospital for one day, because veterinarians usually recommend staying in hospital for observation for one night in consideration of the recovery of pets after anesthesia.