Dental Care
Regular professional dental cleanings are essential for maintaining your pet’s teeth and overall health. Dental disease is extremely common in pets, and routine care helps prevent pain, infection, and more serious complications. Just like your pet’s routine annual wellness visit gives us a chance to keep an eye on their physical condition and check for problems before they become serious, dental cleanings can improve your pet’s dental health.
What’s Included in a Professional Dental Cleaning
Ultrasonic Scaling
We use modern, safe ultrasonic scalers to thoroughly clean each tooth—above and below the gumline, where plaque and bacteria accumulate.
Polishing
After cleaning, teeth are polished to create a smooth surface that helps reduce future plaque buildup.
Comprehensive Oral Exam
While your pet is safely under anesthesia, we perform a detailed exam of the teeth and gums to identify any hidden issues.
Advanced Dental Care We Provide In-House
Oral Surgery & Extractions
Our doctor is able to perform oral surgery and tooth extractions right here in our clinic when needed. This allows us to treat:
- Broken or fractured teeth
- Severe periodontal disease
- Infected or abscessed teeth
- Retained tooth roots
- Painful conditions like tooth resorption
Having these services available in-house means faster treatment, less stress for your pet, and continuity of care with a team you trust.
Why Dental Care Matters
- Helps prevent painful dental disease
- Reduces risk of infection spreading to major organs
- Eliminates bad breath
- Improves your pet’s comfort and quality of life
Routine dental care, combined with the ability to perform necessary surgical procedures on-site, ensures your pet receives complete and compassionate care—from prevention to treatment.
Dental Care for Dogs and Cats at Every Age
Most adult dogs and cats do well with a professional cleaning once a year. Pets with a history of significant dental disease, crowded teeth, or breeds prone to dental problems may benefit from more frequent visits—your veterinarian can recommend a schedule based on your pet’s individual history.
It’s worth starting early. Puppies and kittens can begin dental exams as soon as they have their adult teeth, which allows our team to establish a healthy baseline and catch any early concerns before they develop into bigger problems.
Cats deserve a special mention. Feline tooth resorption—one of the conditions we treat in-house—is more common than many owners realize, and cats are exceptionally good at hiding dental pain. An indoor cat who seems perfectly comfortable may have significant dental disease that only a full examination under anesthesia will reveal. If your cat hasn’t had a dental eval recently, it’s worth scheduling one.
Caring for Your Pet's Teeth at Home
Professional cleanings work best when supported by some home care between visits. Daily brushing with a pet-safe toothpaste is the gold standard—human toothpaste contains ingredients that are harmful to pets. If brushing isn’t realistic for your pet, dental chews, water additives, and prescription dental diets can all help slow plaque and tartar buildup. Our team can help you find an approach that fits both your pet’s temperament and your schedule.
Serving Foley, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and South Baldwin County
Animal Medical Center provides professional dental cleanings and advanced dental care for dogs and cats in Foley, AL. We serve pet owners throughout Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Elberta, and the surrounding areas of South Baldwin County. Learn more about dental care for dogs in Foley or dental care for cats in Foley.
FAQ About Pet Dental Care
Yes, and for good reason. Anesthesia allows our veterinary team to safely clean every surface of your pet’s teeth, including below the gumline where most dental disease develops. It also allows us to perform a thorough oral exam and take dental X-rays that simply aren’t possible with an awake, moving pet. We follow careful anesthesia protocols and monitor your pet throughout the procedure and recovery.
Most dogs and cats benefit from a professional dental cleaning once a year. Pets with a history of significant dental disease, certain breeds with crowded teeth, or those who won’t tolerate home brushing may need more frequent cleanings. Your veterinarian will recommend a schedule based on your pet’s individual dental health at their annual wellness exam.
Common signs include bad breath, yellow or brown buildup on the teeth, red or swollen gums, drooling more than usual, dropping food while eating, pawing at the mouth, or reluctance to chew hard food or toys. However, many pets—especially cats—show few outward signs even with significant dental disease, which is why regular professional exams matter so much.
Yes, and it’s one of the best things you can do between professional cleanings. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for pets—human toothpaste contains ingredients that are harmful to animals. Daily brushing is ideal, but even a few times a week makes a meaningful difference. Our team can show you the technique and recommend products at your next visit.
We typically begin recommending professional cleanings once pets have their adult teeth—around 6 months of age for most dogs and cats. Starting early helps establish a baseline and catches any issues before they progress. Senior pets often need more frequent attention as dental disease tends to advance with age.
Yes, dental X-rays are a routine part of dental cleanings at Animal Medical Center. They allow us to evaluate the full structure of each tooth, including the roots and surrounding bone, where most serious dental disease occurs and is completely invisible to the naked eye. We use digital dental radiography, which produces high-resolution images quickly and uses less radiation than traditional film.