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Dental care · Philadelphia

80% of Dogs and 70% of Cats Have Dental Disease by Age 3.

The most under-treated issue in Philadelphia pets — and one of the most preventable. Fear Free cleanings with full-mouth digital x-rays to catch what hides below the gumline.

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Why it matters

Dental Disease Isn’t Cosmetic. It’s Systemic

The bacteria that cause gum disease don’t stay in the mouth. They enter the bloodstream and travel — directly affecting the heart, kidneys, and liver. Chronic dental disease is one of the most common contributors to preventable organ damage in companion animals.

Pets are wired to hide pain. By the time a dog stops picking up their food bowl or a cat starts favoring one side of their mouth, the disease has often been progressing for years. A professional cleaning under anesthesia with digital radiographs is the only way to accurately assess what’s happening beneath the gumline — which is where most of the problem lives.

Anesthesia-free dental procedures clean only visible surfaces and miss the pathology that matters. Full-mouth radiographs with proper anesthesia are the gold standard — and the only standard we use.

80% of dogs have some degree of dental disease by age 3 — most showing no obvious outward signs.

70% of cats are affected by age 3, including painful tooth resorption that is invisible to the naked eye.

3x higher risk of heart disease in pets with untreated periodontal disease, according to multiple peer-reviewed studies.

Warning signs

Signs It’s Time

Pets rarely vocalize dental pain. Watch for these instead.

Bad breath — persistent and noticeably strong

Excessive drooling or drooling that is new or worsening

Discomfort while chewing — dropping food, chewing on one side

Bleeding or visibly inflamed gums

Difficulty swallowing or reluctance to eat

Our approach

Calm. Thorough. Evidence-Based.

Every dental procedure at 2nd Street follows a six-step protocol designed to keep your pet safe, comfortable, and fully evaluated.

Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork

We run a full chemistry panel and CBC before every anesthetic procedure. This screens liver and kidney function, flags anemia or clotting issues, and ensures your pet is safe to proceed before the first dose is given.

Full-Mouth Digital Dental Radiographs

We x-ray every tooth — not just the ones that look problematic. Studies show that up to 60% of significant dental pathology is hidden entirely below the gumline and invisible during a visual exam.

Ultrasonic Scaling and Polishing

We scale both above and below the gumline using ultrasonic and hand instruments, then polish each tooth surface to smooth any micro-abrasions that would otherwise trap bacteria faster.

Extractions If Needed

When a tooth cannot be saved, we perform a nerve block for local anesthesia, complete a clean surgical extraction, and close with dissolvable sutures. Pets typically eat comfortably within 24 hours.

Recovery in a Warm Kennel

Your pet recovers in a heated kennel with continuous monitoring by a technician until they are fully awake, stable, and comfortable. We do not discharge until we are confident in their recovery.

Home Care Plan

Before discharge we walk you through a brushing technique, recommended diet, and approved dental chews specific to your pet. Home care between cleanings is the single biggest factor in slowing periodontal disease progression.

Between visits

Keep Their Smile Between Visits

Professional cleanings work best when backed by a consistent home routine. Three approaches, in order of effectiveness:

Daily Brushing

The gold standard for at-home dental care. Use only toothpaste formulated for dogs or cats — human toothpaste contains fluoride and xylitol, both toxic to pets. Thirty seconds per side, every day, makes a measurable difference by the next cleaning.

VOHC-Approved Chews

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) independently tests and certifies products that actually reduce plaque and tartar. Look for the VOHC seal. Greenies, OraVet chews, and Whimzees are among the approved options for dogs and cats.

Water Additives

For pets that tolerate neither brushing nor chews, VOHC-approved water additives offer a passive option. They reduce bacterial load and slow tartar formation. Not a replacement for brushing, but meaningfully better than nothing.

Common questions

Questions we hear often

Why does my pet need anesthesia for a cleaning?
Thorough subgingival scaling, periodontal probing, and full-mouth digital radiographs are impossible to perform on a conscious, moving animal. Anesthesia-free dental procedures clean only visible tooth surfaces — they are cosmetic and provide no diagnostic value. Anesthesia, when preceded by bloodwork and performed by a trained team, is safe and is the only way to deliver a complete dental evaluation.
Annually is the baseline recommendation for most dogs and cats. Small and toy breeds accumulate tartar faster due to crowded teeth and tend to need more frequent cleanings — sometimes every six months. Your veterinarian will recommend a frequency based on what the radiographs and exam reveal at each visit.
Rarely. Even pets with advanced periodontal disease, tooth resorption, or multiple loose teeth almost always benefit from treatment. We can typically save the majority of teeth even in severe cases, and the quality-of-life improvement after a thorough cleaning and necessary extractions is consistently significant. The risk of not treating is higher than the risk of the procedure.
Coverage varies by plan. Most comprehensive pet insurance policies cover dental treatment for disease (periodontal disease, extractions, fractured teeth) under illness or accident benefits. Routine preventive cleanings are less commonly covered, though some wellness add-on plans include them. Review your specific policy or call your insurer before your appointment.

Yes — and for some species, dental care is critical. Rabbits have continuously erupting teeth that can develop spurs and malocclusions causing severe pain and inability to eat. Guinea pigs and chinchillas face similar issues. We provide dental exams and procedures for exotic mammals as part of our full exotic medicine program. See our Companion Mammals page for more.