• Did You Know?! Eighty percent of dogs and seventy percent of cats show signs of periodontal disease by the age of three. The risk of periodontal disease increases by twenty percent with each year of your pet's life. Dental disease has been linked to other systemic diseases such as heart and liver disease. 

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• ​​Did You Know?! Puppies have 28 teeth and adult dogs have 42 teeth. Kittens have 26 teeth and adult cats have 30. Puppies/kittens lose their baby teeth between 4-6 months of age.

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• Did You Know?! Puppies/kittens should lose a baby tooth before the adult tooth emerges. If the baby tooth is still in place when the adult tooth emerges, it is called a retained deciduous tooth. These retained teeth are removed (often during your pet's neuter) so as not to affect the pets’ occlusion (how the teeth fit together when the mouth closes) as well as to prevent food from getting trapped in those tight spaces.

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• Did You Know?! Human toothpaste can be toxic to our pets. We spit out our toothpaste after brushing our teeth. However, our pets can’t. Specially formulated pet toothpaste is designed to be swallowed.

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• Did You Know?! Facial swelling below the eye is usually due to an infection of the Carnassial tooth (upper premolar #4). Sneezing and nasal discharge may be due to contamination of the upper canine tooth. This infection may lead to an opening between the mouth and the nasal cavity which is called an Oronasal fistula. Infection in your pet’s mouth can spread in the bloodstream to vital organs which can lead to severe health complications and even death. Our pets tend to hide it well when their teeth hurt. You may notice a decreased appetite, resistance to chewing bones, excessive drooling, facial swelling, bad breath etc.

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• Did You Know?! Small dog breeds are more likely to develop periodontal disease than large dogs because the teeth of small dogs are too large for their mouths.

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• Did You Know?! Cats don't typically get cavities but are prone to a condition called feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs). The exact cause of FORLs is unknown, but it is believed to be an immune-mediated process that involves the body's own cells (odontoclasts) attacking and destroying the tooth.

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• Did You Know?! There are two different types of tooth discoloration. Intrinsic discoloration occurs when there is an internal health issue with the tooth, causing internal discoloration of the entire tooth. Extrinsic discoloration is caused when stains accumulate on the outside of the tooth. Surface staining is common, and not usually a sign of a significant health problem. Intrinsic discoloration should be addressed by a veterinarian to determine if the tooth needs removal or treatment.  

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• Did You Know?! One in three pet owners think that bad breath is normal - IT'S NOT!​