Dental Care

Dentistry Overview

Here at Animal Health Care of Myerstown we strive to keep or patients happy, healthy, pain free, and to live as long a possible. With the help of dentistry, we are able to remedy discomfort that commonly goes underappreciated in our pet's lives. Often, after completing recovery from a dental procedure, owners comment that they feel as if the dental has made a major difference in their pet. Do not hesitate to ask if your pet would benefit from a dental cleaning. 

Your pet's dental health is just as important as your own. Over 2/3 of the tooth is hidden under the gum line, making it difficult to evaluate the full extent of dental disease. Dental radiographs are necessary to capture the full picture of the teeth and diagnose unseen disease. The progression of dental disease can be slowed down by home care and routine dental cleanings. Brushing your pet's teeth is the most effective way to keep their teeth healthy. Routine dental cleanings are performed by scaling and polishing the teeth, similar to the process used on your own teeth during a regular dental cleaning.

Anesthesia is used to reduce stress and injury to the pet throughout the procedure and allows for a better cleaning to be performed. Anesthesia always has risks, however, it is safer now than ever before and the benefits far outweigh the risks. Most patients go home the same day as the procedure. If you have any questions regarding having your pets teeth cleaned please contact our office.

Dental disease progresses in our pets exactly as it does in people. It starts with plaque, a biofilm formed by bacteria, which develops naturally on teeth. If plaque is not removed from the teeth it will harden into tarter. Over time this plaque and tarter will build up and cause:

• Gingivitis - This is where the gums are only inflamed and no dental disease is present. This can be treated/reversed.
• Periodontitis - This is caused by unremoved plaque that gets below the gum line where tooth and tissue damage occur leading to pain, tooth loss, and eventually bone loss.

BAD BREATH IS A WARNING OF PLAQUE AND TARTER BUILD UP. BAD BREATH IS NOT NORMAL IN YOUR PET!

Signs your pet could benefit from a dental cleaning: Bad breath Discolored teeth Sensitivity to touching the mouth area Drooling or dropping food from mouth Bleeding in or around mouth Loss of appetite Weight loss Tooth loss   At home care includes: Brushing your pets teeth on a routine basis Dental treats or chews Water additives   Dental disease can lead to: Severe gum or soft tissue infection around the teeth Bone infection Tooth loss or jaw fracture due to weakened bone structure Damage to structures around the eyes More serious health problems such as: Heart disease Changes to the liver and kidneys

HERE AT ANIMAL HEALTH CARE OF MYERSTOWN, IF OUR RECORDS SHOW THAT YOU HAVE UTILIZED OUR DENTAL SERVICES FOR YOUR PET WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, OUR OFFICE WILL EXTEND A $25.00 CREDIT TOWARD YOUR PET'S DENTAL. IF YOU CONTINUE TO SCHEDULE ROUTINE CLEANINGS AT LEAST EVERY 18 MONTHS, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THIS DISCOUNT!

FEBRUARY IS DENTAL HEALTH MONTH! IF YOUR PET GETS A DENTAL PROCEDURE PERFORMED DURING THIS MONTH YOU WILL RECEIVE A $25.00 DISCOUNT.

For more information on dental disease please contact our office: (717) 866-7387 

Process of a Dental Procedure

 5. Diseased teeth are removed.

Instruments used to remove teeth

Sanos Sealant

Sanos has been clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar formation by sealing the space between the tooth and gums. This is applied at the time of the dental procedure after the teeth have been scaled and polished. This sealant can last for 6 months or longer.