July 24, 2022
Pet Dental Health
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Erin Miller, DVM on August 12, 2026
Roughly 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of gum disease by age three. Left unaddressed, that early gum inflammation progresses into periodontal disease that damages the jawbone and lets bacteria travel from the mouth into the bloodstream, where it can affect the kidneys, liver, and heart.
At Pawtown Veterinary Care, Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Lauren Stayer treat dental health as a core part of every wellness visit rather than an optional add-on. Pets cannot tell you their teeth hurt, so regular oral exams and professional cleanings are often the only way to catch disease before it becomes painful or expensive to treat.
Why Dental Disease Affects More Than the Mouth
Every time your pet eats, saliva, bacteria, and food particles coat the teeth. Within days, that film hardens into tartar along the gumline. Bacteria trapped beneath the gum work their way into the bloodstream, and research on periodontal disease consistently links it to inflammation that can strain the heart valves, liver, and kidneys over time. Catching gum disease early, before it reaches the bone supporting the teeth, protects both your pet’s mouth and their long-term organ health.
Signs Your Pet May Need a Dental Exam
Your veterinarian should check your pet’s mouth at least once a year, or sooner if you notice any of the following:
- Bad breath that persists between brushings
- Broken, loose, or discolored teeth
- Heavy tartar buildup along the gumline
- Red or swollen gums
- Reduced appetite or dropping food while chewing
- Pawing at the mouth, excessive drooling, or visible bleeding
Some pets become irritable or even snap when their mouth hurts, so approach any at-home look with caution and let your veterinary team handle the hands-on exam.
What Happens During a Professional Dental Cleaning
A professional pet dental cleaning starts with a full oral exam, followed by scaling to remove tartar above and below the gumline and polishing to smooth the tooth surface. Dental x-rays are taken to see below the gumline, since a tooth can look healthy on the surface while hiding a diseased root. Our on-site x-ray services let us find and address these hidden problems in the same visit rather than sending you home to wait on results.
Why Anesthesia Is Necessary
Most people do not love going to the dentist, but we do it because we know it is good for us. Pets do not understand that a cleaning benefits them; they only know they would rather we stay out of their mouth. Anesthesia allows the veterinary team to see and probe every tooth, including the ones far in the back, take clear x-rays without motion blur, and complete the procedure without added fear or discomfort for your pet.
Anesthesia always carries some risk, but modern monitoring, safer drugs, and pre-anesthetic bloodwork make it far safer than it once was. Screening bloodwork beforehand helps the team choose an anesthesia plan suited to your individual pet, which is part of why we recommend it before any dental procedure.
When a Tooth Extraction Becomes Necessary
Some teeth are too damaged by decay, fracture, or advanced periodontal disease to save. When that happens, extraction removes a source of ongoing pain and infection. Dogs and cats have different mouth structures and common extraction patterns, so our dog tooth extraction and cat tooth extraction pages walk through what each species typically experiences during recovery. Most pets eat and act normally within a day or two once the affected tooth is gone and the pain source is removed.
Home Care Between Professional Cleanings
It is never too late to start home dental care, though beginning when your pet is young, or right after a professional cleaning, gives you a clean slate to work with. Daily brushing is the most effective way to slow tartar buildup. If daily brushing is not realistic, two to three times a week still helps meaningfully. Brushing only once a month or less will not achieve the desired effect.
Most pets can learn to tolerate having their teeth brushed, though cats are typically harder to convince than dogs. Always use pet-specific toothpaste, since human toothpaste contains ingredients that are not safe for pets to swallow. Our step-by-step guide to brushing your pet’s teeth covers how to introduce a toothbrush gradually so your pet tolerates the process.
Dental treats, chews, and prescription dental diets can also support oral health between cleanings, but not all products are created equal. The Veterinary Oral Health Council maintains a list of accepted products that have been shown to meaningfully reduce plaque or tartar, which is a helpful place to start before buying dental chews at random.
Dental Care by Species
Dogs and cats develop dental disease differently. Dogs more commonly show visible tartar and gingivitis, while cats are prone to a painful condition called tooth resorption that can be harder to spot without dental x-rays. Our dog dental care and cat dental care pages break down what to expect for each species, including how often cleanings are typically recommended.
If you want to see how untreated dental disease can progress, our dental disease case study and our overview of signs your pet needs a professional cleaning both go into more detail than we can cover here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Dental Health
How often should my pet get a professional dental cleaning?
Most dogs and cats benefit from a professional cleaning once a year, though pets with faster tartar buildup or existing periodontal disease may need cleanings every six to nine months. Your veterinarian can recommend an interval based on what they see during your pet’s exam.
Is anesthesia safe for older pets during a dental cleaning?
Age alone is not a reason to avoid anesthesia. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork lets the veterinary team evaluate organ function and tailor the anesthesia plan to your pet’s individual health, which makes the procedure considerably safer than it was years ago.
What is the difference between anesthesia-free cleaning and a full dental cleaning?
Anesthesia-free cleaning only removes visible tartar above the gumline and cannot address disease hiding beneath it. A full cleaning under anesthesia includes dental x-rays and cleaning below the gumline, which is where most periodontal disease actually develops.
Can brushing alone prevent the need for professional cleanings?
Brushing slows tartar buildup and supports gum health, but it cannot remove tartar that has already hardened or clean below the gumline. Home care and professional cleanings work best as complementary parts of the same dental care plan.
What are the earliest signs of periodontal disease in pets?
Bad breath and a thin red line along the gumline are usually the earliest visible signs. These can appear well before tartar buildup is obvious, which is why annual oral exams matter even for pets whose teeth look fine at home.
Schedule a Dental Exam at Pawtown Veterinary Care
Dr. Miller and Dr. Stayer built Pawtown Veterinary Care around the idea that preventive care, including dental care, should never feel rushed. Our team takes the time to explain what we find during an oral exam and to build a home care routine that actually fits your pet’s personality and your schedule.
If it has been a year or more since your pet’s last dental exam, or if you have noticed any of the warning signs above, request an appointment and let us help keep your pet’s mouth, and the rest of their body, healthy.
About the Author
Co-Founder, Pawtown Veterinary Care
Dr. Erin Miller co-founded Pawtown Veterinary Care with a commitment to relationship-based, whole-pet care for dogs and cats throughout Bend and Central Oregon.