Blog: The Importance of Veterinary Dentistry

The Importance of Veterinary Dentistry

Even when a pet may otherwise have a reportedly healthy outlook, seemingly eating and drinking normally and even have a pleasant demeanor, periodontal disease could be lying just under the surface and could lead to life-threatening diseases. The most common clinical condition among cats and dogs is periodontal disease. In fact, 85 percent of all pets have periodontal disease by the time they are 3 years of age. Introducing a regular and thorough examination routine into the life of a pet could prevent damage to their internal organs. With a dental exam, most of these escalations could be easily prevented before it’s too late.

Promoting dental health is an important measure to promoting the overall health of the pet. It can also be a way to diagnose other health issues a pet may be experiencing. A pet’s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by a veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep a pet’s mouth clean and healthy. Because most dental diseases occur below the gumline where you can’t see it, a thorough exam will include taking radiograph images to see the precursors of periodontal disease.