Dental Days Deal
$100 off Dental Cleanings
For new and existing clients!
Call (973) 872-9100 to schedule a cleaning today!
January 15 – March 15, 2025
*New and existing clients. Canine and feline only. Not valid with other offers. Not redeemable for cash. May use offer on multiple pets within the same household. Not applicable for membership or wellness plans.
Dental disease has a way of building quietly. A pet can keep eating, playing, and acting normal while plaque, inflammation, and infection continue progressing below the gumline. That’s why routine cat and dog teeth cleaning is such an important part of preventive care.
At Wishing Well Veterinary Hospital in Wayne, NJ, we provide pet dental care for cats and dogs using a combination of dental exams, digital dental X-rays, professional cleaning, and treatment recommendations based on what we find. Whether your pet has noticeable bad breath or you’re scheduling their first dental visit, our team can help you stay ahead of more serious oral health problems.
How Do I Know If My Pet Needs a Teeth Cleaning?
Some pets show obvious signs of dental disease. Others don’t show much at all until the condition becomes advanced.
You may notice:
Persistent bad breath
Yellow or brown tartar buildup on the teeth
Red or swollen gums
Dropping food while eating
Chewing on one side of the mouth
Increased drooling
Loose or damaged teeth
Less interest in hard treats or chew toys
Pawing at the face or mouth
What Happens During a Cat and Dog Teeth Cleaning?
A professional pet teeth cleaning involves much more than brushing visible tartar off the teeth.
Before the procedure, we perform a physical exam and recommend bloodwork to help us evaluate your pet’s health prior to anesthesia.
Once your pet is asleep under anesthesia, we:
- Scale plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline
- Examine each tooth individually
- Measure the gum pockets around the teeth
- Take full-mouth dental X-rays
- Polish the teeth to smooth the enamel surface
- Flush the gums to remove debris and bacteria
Because so much dental disease develops beneath the gums, dental X-rays are one of the most valuable parts of the procedure. They allow us to detect problems that can’t be seen during a visual exam alone.
If we find damaged teeth, infection, bone loss, or painful resorptive lesions in cats, we’ll discuss treatment recommendations with you.
Why Dental X-Rays Matter in Pet Dental Care
The visible portion of your pet’s tooth is only part of the picture. In many cases, the real problem is happening underneath the gumline.
Dental X-rays help us identify:
- Root abscesses
- Fractured teeth
- Bone loss caused by periodontal disease
- Retained tooth roots
- Tooth resorption in cats
- Hidden areas of infection or inflammation
Without dental imaging, these issues can easily go unnoticed even when the teeth appear relatively normal on the surface.
What Problems Can Dog Dental and Cat Dental Care Help Prevent?
Routine cat teeth cleaning and dog dental care can help prevent conditions that become more difficult — and more uncomfortable — the longer they progress.
Professional dental care may help reduce the risk of:
- Periodontal disease
- Tooth loss
- Gum infections
- Oral pain
- Difficulty eating
- Chronic inflammation in the mouth
For many pets, regular dental care also improves comfort in ways owners don’t immediately expect. Pets who were quietly living with oral pain often become more active, more interested in food, and more interactive after treatment.
What Recovery Looks Like After Pet Teeth Cleaning
Most pets go home the same day as their procedure.
If your pet only needed a routine cleaning, recovery is usually quick. They may feel sleepy for the evening but are often back to normal by the next day.
If extractions or additional treatment were needed, we may recommend:
- Soft food for several days
- Temporary activity restrictions
- Pain medication or antibiotics
- A follow-up visit to monitor healing
We’ll explain everything before your pet goes home so you know what to expect.
How Much Does Cat and Dog Teeth Cleaning Cost?
The cost of pet dental care depends on several factors, including the amount of tartar buildup, whether dental X-rays are needed, and if diseased teeth require treatment or extraction.
Because every mouth is different, we tailor recommendations to the individual pet rather than using one standard treatment plan for every case.
Our team will review estimates with you before moving forward with care.
Dental Care That Goes Beyond Surface Cleaning
A cosmetic cleaning alone doesn’t address the areas where dental disease usually starts.
At Wishing Well Veterinary Hospital, dental procedures are built around identifying and treating hidden disease, not just making teeth look cleaner.
Full-mouth dental X-rays, detailed oral exams, and individualized treatment planning are all part of how we approach pet dental care.
That attention to detail helps us catch painful problems earlier and make more informed recommendations for your pet.
