Beginning at age one, your pet should have an annual dental examination and cleaning performed by your veterinarian. A thorough cleaning removes plaque and tartar both above and below the gum line. This proactive treatment is aimed at maintaining the natural oral defenses so that periodontal disease and other dental problems have a harder time becoming established. A good home care program can tremendously extend the positive effects of the professional cleaning. For an excellent article on dental scaling without anesthesia, see
https://www.avdc.org/dentalscaling.html
