Cats have very sharp teeth, and unlike humans when we're in for our dental cleanings and we keep our mouth open, cats don't know to say ah and they are not as willing and able to let us get into their mouth.

Keeping your cat healthy otherwise is probably the most important thing to do in preparation. We will certainly have guidelines and recommendations given specifically in preparation for the day of the dental.

We believe in full multimodal pain control with all of our dental patients. We usually give them some type of a narcotic pain medication and usually a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, unless there are certain medical conditions that prevent that. Pain medication is usually also given to be taken home for your dog.

A dental cleaning appointment involves coming in the morning usually between 7:30 and 8. The overall dental procedures last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, sometimes up to two hours. After the procedure, the patient needs to recover, so they're usually here for a good five or six hours.

Yes, all dogs get dental x-rays. It's an important part of evaluating the mouth because it allows us to see underneath the gum line and to look for things associated with periodontal disease such as bone loss.

Keeping them healthy is crucial. The preparation will be outlined and described by the veterinarian depending on whether it's just an evaluation to look at the teeth or if we're actually planning on having the teeth cleaned that day.

A lot of times we don't know that dogs are experiencing pain due to their bad teeth. Appetite and eating are not typically indicators of dental pain. Bad breath can be a big sign.

Dental exams, depending on age, are usually done every 6 to 12 months. Younger dogs typically don't need dental cleanings yet, but the teeth should be evaluated for the need for a dental usually at least once a year.

Through routine evaluation by your veterinarian, they will evaluate the mouth and see if there's development of tartar or calculus on the teeth, redness to the gums, sometimes the teeth become mobile and loose, sometimes they can be broken. These are all things that lead us to believe that we probably need to get our dog's teeth cleaned.