HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING DENTAL PROPHY

A dental prophylaxis (cleaning) is a procedure involving many steps. Your pet must be under anesthesia to provide the best dental exam, cleaning, and to treat any gingivitis (gum disease). The steps below were done for your pet today.

1. DENTAL EXAM: Assessment of all teeth for tartar, plaque, tooth mobility, location of tartar below the gum line, periodontal pockets and gingivitis.

2. CLEANING: A high-speed, air driven scaler is used to remove all tartar. Hand scaling is used to remove tartar below the gum line.

3. MOUTH RINSE; 0.2% chlorhexidine rinse flushed through the mouth to kill any
remaining bacteria.

4. POLISHING: Each tooth is then polished to a high gloss removing any pits in
the enamel and smoothing the teeth to prevent more plaque build up.

5. FLUORIDE TREATMENT: Each tooth is treated with a fluoride gel. It provides
three functions: hardens the enamel, desensitizes the tooth and root, and prevents
tooth decay.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at (281) 890-9525.

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT AT HOME?
Your pet may be sleepy from the anesthesia and should not be left unattended for the next 8-12 hours. No food should be given the night of this procedure. The anesthesia can cause an upset stomach. Small amounts of water or ice chips can be given.

If extractions or other oral surgical procedures were needed for your pet, expect:

1. Soreness of gum tissue for several days.
2. Bloody tinged saliva for 1-2 days.

Dark blood draining from the mouth is NOT normal and we should be notified immediately.

Your pet’s health care is important to us. We recommend that all pets over two years of age should have their teeth cleaned once a year. Some pets may need it more often; every 3-6 months may be needed with severe dental disease.

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