Better oral health. Better quality of life.
Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in dogs and cats, and it often starts earlier than owners expect. Many pets continue eating normally even when they have painful teeth, infected gums, or disease below the gumline.
At Fort Lauderdale Veterinary Center, our dental care is designed to do more than clean visible tartar. With a complete oral exam and dental radiographs, we look for hidden disease, identify problems early, and help protect your pet’s comfort, health, and quality of life.
Why Oral Health Matters
Oral disease is not just a cosmetic issue. It can cause chronic pain, inflammation, infection, and tooth loss. Because pets instinctively hide discomfort, many owners do not realize there is a problem until disease is advanced.
Untreated dental disease can affect how pets chew, play, sleep, and behave. Some pets become quieter, less interested in toys, more selective with food, or simply “slow down” over time. After treatment, many owners notice their pet seems brighter, more comfortable, and more like themselves.
Long-term oral health also matters because bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can place stress on the rest of the body. Early dental care helps reduce pain, control infection, preserve teeth when possible, and support overall wellness.
Why Dental Radiographs Are Essential
Much of dental disease happens where it cannot be seen: below the gumline.
Dental radiographs allow us to evaluate the tooth roots, jawbone, and supporting structures. They help us identify hidden problems such as bone loss, tooth root infections, fractured teeth, abscesses, retained teeth, and painful feline resorptive lesions.
A tooth may look normal on the surface while disease is progressing underneath. Without dental radiographs, important and painful conditions can be missed.
Why Early Detection Matters
Dental disease is progressive. Mild gum inflammation can advance to infection, bone loss, loose teeth, and chronic pain.
Finding disease early with a complete dental evaluation and radiographs allows us to treat problems before they become more severe, uncomfortable, or costly. This is especially important in young pets, because early oral disease can begin long before obvious signs appear at home.
Why Non-Anesthetic Dentals Are Not the Same
A non-anesthetic dental may remove visible tartar, but it does not allow for a complete medical dental evaluation.
Without anesthesia, we cannot safely clean below the gumline, probe each tooth, take dental radiographs, evaluate tooth roots, or treat painful disease. Teeth may look cleaner afterward, while infection, bone loss, or painful root disease remains undiagnosed.
A true veterinary dental procedure allows us to safely examine, image, clean, and treat the entire mouth — not just the visible surface of the teeth.
Our Goal
Our goal is simple: identify dental disease early, relieve pain, protect long-term health, and help your pet feel better.
If your pet has bad breath, tartar, red gums, difficulty chewing, changes in behavior, or has never had a dental evaluation, schedule an oral health exam
Clear Answers. Longer, Healthier Lives.