Dental treatment in dogs

Why is dental care important for your dog?

Dental care for dogs is primarily about detecting disease early. Dental and gum disease is very common in adult dogs, and the incidence increases with age. Periodontal disease can develop below the gum line without any obvious symptoms, and a dog can therefore have significant dental disease even if they are still eating normally. Some dogs show signs such as bad breath, drooling, a change in eating pattern or red and bleeding gums, but many hide their discomfort well. Regular checks of the oral cavity and teeth make it possible to detect problems earlier and treat them before they progress further.

Quick facts about your dog's teeth

An adult dog has 42 teeth and uses them to grip, chew and break down food. Puppies have baby teeth which are later replaced by permanent teeth.

Dental health is linked to your dog's overall well-being. Untreated periodontal disease causes pain, can lead to teeth loosening and extraction, and severe periodontal disease has been linked in studies to changes in internal organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys. The connection is documented, but complex — it's not that tartar alone leads to organ disease.

Plaque and tartar in dogs

Plaque is a soft, bacterial biofilm that forms on teeth all the time. It is the plaque at and below the gum line that drives gum inflammation, which over time can develop into periodontal disease. If plaque is not removed, it mineralizes and turns into tartar — a hard, yellow-brown deposit.

It is primarily bacterial plaque at and below the gum line that drives periodontal disease. Tartar contributes, among other things, by providing a rough surface where new plaque can more easily adhere. The amount of visible tartar alone therefore does not indicate how severe periodontal disease the dog has. A dog can have little visible tartar and still have significant disease below the gum line.

How is tartar removed?

Established tartar is professionally removed with ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments. At A-Vet, we perform a full oral examination — a dental exam — when you book an appointment for a dental cleaning.

The examination requires general anesthesia. This is not only because the dog must lie still: probing the periodontal pockets, cleaning below the gum line, and x-raying the teeth cannot be safely performed on an awake dog. Significant periodontal disease and other dental pathology may be hidden below the gum line and therefore cannot be fully assessed during a routine examination of an awake dog. The dog is given pain relief appropriate to the procedure being performed, and any surgical procedures such as tooth extractions are treated as painful procedures.

At A-Vet, all patients under anesthesia are continuously monitored by a veterinary nurse or veterinarian. We monitor, among other things, pulse and heart rate, oxygen saturation, capnography, blood pressure and temperature throughout the procedure, so that changes can be detected quickly and managed along the way. The dog is intubated, and breathing is supported by the anesthesia machine. We assess ventilation continuously and control respiratory volume and breathing rate mechanically when needed, including during longer anesthesia or if the dog's own ventilation is not sufficient. The dog lies on a heating blanket, since hypothermia is one of the most common complications of anesthesia — especially in small dogs. Read more about the equipment we use.

Brushing your teeth is the most effective prevention

Daily brushing is the most effective way to reduce plaque and prevent periodontal disease in dogs. It is best to start the habit early and gradually build up to it — just like with nail clipping or being home alone. Most dogs will accept brushing if you spend a lot of time and reward them along the way. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste intended for dogs.

Documented dental feeds and chewing products can be used as a supplement, but does not replace brushing and regular check-ups. Please note that very hard chewing objects can cause tooth fractures. Chewing can help reduce plaque, but does not remove tartar that has already set in.

Gingivitis in dogs

Gingivitis occurs when bacterial plaque builds up along the gum line and causes inflammation. Gingivitis is an early and reversible stage: when plaque is removed and further plaque formation is controlled, the gums can become healthy again. Without treatment, the condition can progress to periodontitis, where the supporting tissue around the tooth breaks down and permanent loss of periodontal attachment occurs.

Common signs include red and swollen gums, bad breath, changes in chewing habits, bloody saliva, and in severe cases, loose teeth. If you observe any of these, your dog should be examined by a veterinarian.

Treatment of gingivitis

The treatment is mechanical: professional cleaning above and below the gum line under anesthesia, combined with plaque control at home. In case of established periodontitis, further periodontal treatment or removal of teeth that cannot be saved is considered.

Antibiotics are not part of the routine treatment of gingivitis or uncomplicated periodontitis, and cannot replace mechanical treatment. Antibiotics are only used on specific indications, after a specific assessment of the individual patient.

Teething in dogs

Tooth extraction is necessary when a tooth cannot be saved. Common causes are advanced periodontitis with loss of attachment and loose tooth, tooth fracture with exposed pulp, resorption or infection at the root of the tooth. The amount of visible tartar is not in itself a reason to extract a tooth — it is the condition of the tooth and the attachment apparatus that determines.

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia with pain relief, both during and after the procedure. Afterwards, you will receive advice on aftercare and further oral care, so that we can prevent new problems.

What happens when you take your dog for a dental checkup?

When you arrive in the morning, you will be greeted by a veterinarian or animal caretaker. You will fill out an admission form where we will review known illnesses, regular medications and any allergies, agree on what needs to be done, and set a time for pick-up.

We then perform a clinical health check before anesthesia, where we assess, among other things, the mucous membranes, heart, and pulse.

Under general anesthesia, we systematically examine the entire oral cavity. We measure the gum pockets around each tooth, assess the mucous membranes, gums, and teeth, and always take X-rays of all teeth. Dental X-rays are important because disease in the tooth roots, supporting tissues, and jawbone can be hidden below the gum line and not necessarily detected by clinical examination alone.

The teeth are then cleaned with ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments, both above and below the gum line, and finally polished to smooth the tooth surface after the cleaning. We have our own dental room with a professional dental unit, which gives us everything from scaling and polishing to extraction and filling in the same setup.

Dental records at A-Vet

All findings are documented in a separate dental journal, and the X-rays are archived with it. If we uncover conditions that require further treatment, we will go through them with you and create a plan with necessary measures, a time perspective and a clear price overview.

Price of dental treatment for dogs

Contact us if you have questions about dental treatment for your dog. You will find an overview of general prices here.