At Goodheart Animal Health Center, dental care is never treated as “just a cleaning.” Our dental procedure is built around transparency, safety, and high medical standards, every step of the way.
The most important thing we can do to make a difference in your pet’s oral health is to schedule regular dental cleanings. Much like human medicine, veterinary oral care consists of many different components. Here’s what makes Goodheart dental care different.
Dental Exams: A Conversation, Not a Checklist
Before every dental procedure, our doctors begin with a dental exam, and just as importantly, a conversation. We take time to explain what we’re seeing, what we recommend, and why. Whether you’re wondering about bad breath, loose teeth, gum disease, or how dental health connects to heart, kidney, and overall health, we’re here to talk it through.
Safety Starts Before Anesthesia
Due to jaw and tooth shape, we cannot see about 25% of the mouth while your pet is awake. The only way to do a thorough and complete dental cleaning is with your pet under anesthesia.
Before your pet is placed under anesthesia, we perform lab work and a thorough head-to-tail exam. This allows us to evaluate organ health and tailor anesthesia protocols specifically to your pet’s needs. These steps confirm if it is safe for your pet to move forward with the procedure, or if we need to pause, reschedule, or make any other changes.
Lab work helps us:
- Identify underlying issues that may not be visible during an exam
- Adjust medications and anesthesia for maximum safety
- Reduce risk and improve recovery
Dental X-Rays: Seeing What the Eye Can’t
One of the most important parts of dental care is dental radiographs (X-rays). In fact, most dental disease occurs below the gumline, where it can’t be seen during a visual exam alone.
Dental X-rays allow us to:
- Identify infected or damaged tooth roots
- Detect bone loss and hidden fractures
- Determine whether a tooth can be saved or needs to be removed
At Goodheart, dental X-rays are a standard part of our procedures, not an add-on. This ensures we’re treating the full problem, not just what’s visible on the surface.
Advanced Anesthesia Monitoring: Constant, Attentive Care
During dental procedures, your pet is continuously monitored by trained veterinary professionals using advanced monitoring equipment. Constant monitoring allows our team to respond immediately to even subtle changes, ensuring your pet remains stable and comfortable throughout the procedure.
We closely track:
- Heart rate and rhythm (EKG)
- Oxygen levels
- Blood pressure
- Temperature
- Carbon dioxide output
- Level of anesthesia
Cleaning and Polishing
We utilize a special ultrasonic scaler that vibrates at a very high rate to remove thick plaque and tarter from the teeth. Once cleaned thoroughly, we polish all the teeth leaving them smooth on the surface. This helps us to prevent tarter from accumulating so quickly.
Probing and Sealants: Preventing Future Disease
While your pet is safely under anesthesia, we probe the gums to measure pocket depth (the space between the teeth and the gums) and assess the health of tissues surrounding each tooth. This can help us identify early-stage dental disease before it becomes painful or destructive.
When needed, we also offer dental sealants. Sealants help protect teeth by reducing bacteria buildup and slowing the progression of dental disease. This supports oral health long after your pet goes home.
We are so passionate about dental health that we offer free dental exams. If you have questions about your pet’s dental health or want to learn more about our dental procedures, please call or schedule an appointment with your local Goodheart.