Hexham 01434 607677
Dental care
Orchard House is one of few practices in the North East of England with digital dental radiography. It is impossible to perform quality dentistry without access to and the use of radiography.
Over 50% of the tooth structure is covered by bone and gum. X-rays allow us to check for disease below the gum-line such as fractured roots, painful holes in the enamel at the base of the crown, plus the make proper planning of surgical extractions of diseased teeth.
We have Dental Radiography and Air Driven Dental Units at all our Centres, comprising of high and low speed drills, ultrasonic scaler and polishing equipment. Dentistry is always done under general anaesthesia.
For a bespoke estimate please contact your local surgery.
Common signs of dental disease
Common signs of dental disease include:
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Bleeding of gums
- Excessive salivation
- Rubbing or pawing at the face
- Inflammation of the gums and surrounding areas
- Decrease/change in appetite
- Teeth chattering
Dental procedures
Cats and dogs are good at masking dental pain and their survival instinct means they will continue to eat even in extreme dental disease cases.
If your pet needs a dental procedure then they will be anaesthetised. This is because we need to protect airways whilst performing the dental exam, ultrasonic scaling and any extractions that may be necessary.
We may also perform full mouth radiographs as a lot of dental disease can be occurring under the gum line. Every tooth will be assessed and treated as necessary and all work is charted.
We perform a dental examination during your pet's annual booster vaccination. This is important as early detection of dental issues is vital.
Diet and preventative care
Dried diets tend to be better for the teeth but this alone does not avoid dental issues. Additives to the diet and water can help but the only method that really works is daily brushing of the teeth.
We would advise using either a children's toothbrush or a pet specific toothbrush with bristles to brush the outside of the teeth using pet toothpaste. Anything less than daily brushing is too ineffective.
Dental chews and toys
Dental chews can help to keep the teeth clean but shouldn’t replace brushing. No toys should be used that you cannot push your finger nail into. Bones, antlers and hard nylon chews are NOT recommended and will fracture the teeth.