Does your best friend have “dog breath”? Contrary to popular belief, bad breath isn’t just a nuisance—it is a primary symptom of oral bacteria and periodontal disease in pets. At Northeast Animal Hospital, we provide comprehensive veterinary dental services to help your pet live a longer, healthier, and pain-free life.
Dental hygiene is a cornerstone of your pet’s overall well-being. Untreated dental disease in dogs and cats doesn’t just stay in the mouth; bacteria from the gums can enter the bloodstream and cause serious damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Many pets suffer in silence because they are programmed to hide pain. Look for these common warning signs that your pet needs a dental checkup:
The most common sign of oral infection.
A sign of gingivitis.
Dropping food or favoriting one side of the mouth.
Often accompanied by a foul odor.
We offer a full suite of dental services to treat and prevent oral health issues.
While dental treats and chews help, they are often not enough to remove tartar below the gum line. Our professional cleanings include:
Ultrasonic Scaling: Removing plaque and tartar from the tooth surface.
Subgingival Cleaning: Cleaning the critical area under the gum line.
Polishing: Smoothing the enamel to make it harder for plaque to reattach.
For a thorough cleaning and a stress-free experience, we utilize safe sedation and anesthesia. This allows our veterinary team to perform a detailed examination of every tooth without causing discomfort to your pet.
Even if your pet’s teeth look fine today, preventive care is essential. We offer expert guidance on:
Daily Brushing: The “gold standard” for preventing tartar buildup.
Dental Diets: Specially formulated kibble that scrubs teeth as the pet eats.
Water Additives & Gels: Easy-to-use solutions for pets that won’t sit still for brushing.
While at-home brushing is helpful, only a professional veterinary dental cleaning can remove the hardened plaque and tartar that accumulate under the gum line. Without regular cleaning, this buildup leads to periodontal disease, which can cause pain, tooth loss, and systemic infections affecting the heart and kidneys.
es. To perform a thorough ultrasonic scaling and polishing, anesthesia is required. It ensures your pet remains still and pain-free while our team cleans the critical areas beneath the gums. At Northeast Animal Hospital, we use advanced monitoring to make pet anesthesia as safe as possible for every patient.
The most common sign is persistent bad breath (halitosis). Other symptoms include reddened or bleeding gums, excessive drooling, dropping food while eating, or a sudden preference for soft food. If you notice any of these signs, your pet should have a veterinary dental exam immediately.
We recommend a professional dental evaluation at least once a year during your pet's wellness exam. However, certain breeds or older pets may require more frequent dental checkups to prevent advanced oral decay and maintain healthy gums.
No. You should never use human toothpaste because it contains fluoride and xylitol, which are toxic to pets. We recommend using veterinary-approved pet toothpaste, which is safe to swallow and comes in flavors like poultry or beef that dogs and cats enjoy.
Don't wait until your pet is in pain. A simple dental checkup adds years to their life and keeps those tail-wagging smiles bright!
Northeast Animal Hospital is a locally-owned, private veterinary practice serving Tallahassee, FL, since 1971.
Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sunday: 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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