FAQ’s

A referral from the veterinarian can be made following identification or diagnosis of a problem with a specific tooth or within the oral cavity. If a pet owner is interested in our services, they can ask to meet with us through their veterinarian or reach out to us directly. See the “How to refer” menu for more information for referring veterinarians and pet owners to refer to WSVDOS.

Tooth brushing is the most important thing we can do for our dogs and cats to help decrease the progression of dental disease at home. Daily (once a day) tooth brushing has been shown to make a significant difference in the oral health of dogs and cats as compared to less frequent brushing (weekly, monthly) or never. A couple of major hurdles associated with tooth brushing are 1) making it a part of our daily routine and 2) getting our dog or cat familiar and comfortable with having their teeth brushed.

First pick a time that works for you and your pet that easily fits into your daily routine – for example, brush your teeth, then brush your pets’ teeth. Second, start slow, take baby steps, and let your dog or cat become comfortable with the routine and process. Pick a toothpaste that is specific for dogs and cats and remember, flavor matters for a lot of pets so you may have to try different flavors. Start with just using your finger to rub the toothpaste on the outside of the teeth by gently inserting your finger into the side of their mouth and rub along the teeth and gums. Once this becomes comfortable for your dog or cat you can start to use a soft bristled toothbrush to brush the outside surface of the teeth and gums. Focus your brushing on the outside (cheek side) surface of the teeth. As always, go slow and take baby steps when you are first starting. You can always gradually extend the tooth brushing time as your pet becomes more comfortable with the process. We don’t want this to become a negative experience and in fact once the routine is established it becomes another way you can bond with your pet.

To start, a teeth cleaning is more than just a “teeth cleaning.” Really, a “teeth cleaning” needs to be discussed and presented as a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT), which is a 12-step process. One of the 12 steps is scaling and polishing of the teeth to remove plaque and calculus from the tooth surface above and below the gumline. This is an important step but just one of 12 important steps in this process. An annual COHAT is important to monitor your pet’s mouth for ongoing dental disease and oral issues that can cause pain and infection. As part of their normal behavior, both dogs and cats mask signs of oral pain. Without a thorough anesthetized oral exam many oral health issues go undetected, therefore, WSVDOS recommends your pet has a COHAT every year as part of their routine annual care.

Teeth are commonly extracted due to advanced periodontal disease or endodontic disease (fractured teeth, abscessed teeth, discolored teeth). Other indications for tooth extraction include trauma involving the teeth or malocclusions resulting in a traumatic occlusion. When a tooth succumbs to advanced periodontal disease, tooth extraction is the best treatment option, however, for the teeth with endodontic disease, another great treatment option is root canal therapy, which preserves functional tooth structure for the patient.

Root canal therapy is used to treat endodontic disease, which is a disease leading to death of the pulp of the tooth. Endodontic disease commonly occurs in teeth with crown fractures that expose the pulp, leading to infection and death of the pulp. Besides identifying teeth with crown fractures, endodontic disease is commonly diagnosed radiographically by a tooth root abscess or widened pulp canal. 

 Root canal treatment has a published success rate of 95%. When performed successfully the treatment will last for the lifetime of your pet. The primary objective of root canal therapy is to remove the diseased pulp tissue, disinfect the tooth, and place a filler and sealer in the root canal of the tooth. Root canal treatment preserves functional tooth structure so the dog or cat can continue to use the tooth for grasping and chewing. Root canal treatment does not involve oral surgery therefore your pet can return to their normal routine immediately after the procedure. This is unlike tooth extraction which is oral surgery to completely remove the tooth and which can take up to 2 weeks to heal.