I recently visited my own dentist for my annual (ok 15 months!) check-up, truthfully, I was prompted to make the appointment as we have been talking about pet dental health a lot at Vet HQ and I felt compelled to practice what I preach so to speak!
Like many people, I brush my teeth twice a day, attend regular dental appointments, and generally consider my oral health to be pretty good. So, I was surprised, and honestly a little horrified, when my dentist pointed out the early signs of gum disease around some of my back teeth. (see x-rays below)
The hard truth? I don’t floss as often as I should and now, I was right at the cusp of the next stage of periodontitis, and it gave me a real scare.
As someone who works in the veterinary industry and regularly talks about the importance of dental health for pets, I know that oral health and overall health are closely linked.
After a very thorough deep clean to remove plaque & tartar from under the gum line (not something I could achieve at home), my dentist and I discussed a plan to get things back on track.
Fortunately, because the problem was identified early, some diligent flossing, improved home care, and more frequent check-ups and cleans should be enough to possibly reverse the damage but more importantly prevent progression.
Had I left it another 6 months to a year, the story might have been very different. This experience really brought home a message that we share with pet owners every day
Dental disease doesn’t get better on its own. It progresses.
Whether it’s in humans or our pets, plaque accumulates, inflammation develops, and over time the structures supporting the teeth begin to break down. What starts as mild gingivitis can progress to periodontal disease, leading to pain, infection, tooth loss, and potentially wider health implications.
The key difference is that when my gums became unhealthy, I had the opportunity to take myself to the dentist, have a conversation, and make changes.
Our pets don’t have that option.
They can’t tell us their gums are sore.
They can’t complain that chewing hurts.
They can’t book themselves in for a dental clean.
They rely entirely on us to recognise the importance of their dental health and act before disease becomes advanced.
That’s why early intervention matters so much.
Just as my dentist identified a problem early, before it became serious and expensive to treat, regular veterinary dental examinations allow us to identify issues in our pets before they lead to pain, extractions, infection, and significant long-term consequences. Because when it comes to dental disease, whether you’re a person or a pet, prevention will almost always be easier and less painful than treatment.
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