Bad breath in a dog or cat is usually the first sign of gum disease, and most of the damage happens below the gumline, where only a dental exam under anesthesia can reach it. A full dental cleaning includes a tooth-by-tooth exam, dental x-rays, scaling above and below the gumline, polishing and treatment of problem teeth. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Indian Land is a veterinary clinic with easy access from Charlotte Highway and Sherbrook Avenue in Indian Land, South Carolina, and its dental care covers cleanings, a periodontal (gum) evaluation and treatment of broken or loose teeth.
Call (803) 232-9817 or book online.
What are the signs my pet needs a dental visit?
Book a dental exam at Petfolk Indian Land if you notice any of these at home:
Breath that makes you pull back.
Yellow-brown buildup (tartar) along the gumline, especially on the back upper teeth.
Red or bleeding gums, or blood on chew toys.
Dropping food, chewing on one side, or a cat that suddenly prefers soft food.
Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face on the floor.
A swelling under one eye, which can be a tooth root abscess.
A broken tooth, especially a fractured canine or the big upper chewing tooth.
Many pets keep eating through real mouth pain, so a normal appetite does not mean the mouth is fine.
What does a full dental cleaning include?
A proper cleaning at Petfolk Indian Land is done under general anesthesia: your pet is asleep, breathing through a tube and monitored the whole time. That allows six steps.
1. A pre-anesthetic check. An exam and usually blood work to make sure your pet is ready for anesthesia. 2. A tooth-by-tooth exam. The vet probes the gum pocket around each tooth and charts what they find. 3. Dental x-rays, because many problems hide in the roots and bone below the gumline. 4. Scaling above and below the gumline to remove plaque and tartar. 5. Polishing to smooth the tooth surface so plaque has a harder time sticking. 6. Treatment of problem teeth. This can include extracting (removing) teeth that are badly loose, broken or infected. Pets do well without damaged teeth, and many eat better afterward.
You get an estimate before any treatment. Before the day, ask how the team will reach you if the vet finds something that changes the plan, and whether any extra work would happen during the same anesthesia or at a later visit.
Why isn't anesthesia-free cleaning recommended?
Scraping tartar off a pet who is awake makes the teeth look whiter, but it can't reach under the gumline, where the disease is, and it can't include a full exam or x-rays. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) dental care guidelines recommend cleanings under anesthesia for this reason, and Petfolk Indian Land follows them.
Which pets get dental care at Petfolk?
Dental disease builds with age, and the numbers from Petfolk's clinics around Charlotte reflect that. Petfolk Indian Land opened in May 2026, so these figures cover all six Charlotte-area clinics.
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, more than half of dental patients are 7 or older (56% of dogs, 57% of cats), and the typical patient is about 7 and a half (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, about 97% of dental procedures include dental x-rays (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
About 7 in 10 dental visits at Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics (69%) include a prescription medicine, such as pain relief, which includes medicine given in the clinic (Oct 20, 2025 to Oct 19, 2026).
How can I care for my pet's teeth at home?
Four habits protect teeth between visits to Petfolk Indian Land.
Brush daily if you can. Use pet toothpaste, never human toothpaste, which can contain xylitol and is not meant to be swallowed. Start with a finger brush and a few seconds a day.
Pick chews carefully. Avoid antlers, hooves, hard bones and anything you can't dent with your thumbnail; these are a common cause of broken teeth.
Look for the VOHC seal (Veterinary Oral Health Council) on dental chews, diets and water additives. It means the product was tested to reduce plaque or tartar.
Check the mouth weekly. Lift the lips, look at the back teeth and gums, and note changes for your next visit.
Small breeds, flat-faced breeds and cats with tooth resorption often need cleanings more often. Tooth resorption is common in cats: the body slowly breaks down a tooth from the inside, often below the gumline, and it can be painful even when the cat keeps eating.
What is recovery like after a pet dental?
Most pets go home from Petfolk Indian Land the same day, a bit sleepy. If teeth were removed, expect soft food for a while and pain medicine. Keep the follow-up visit the vet recommends, so they can check that the gums have healed.
When is a mouth problem an emergency?
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet has facial swelling with trouble breathing, bleeding from the mouth that won't stop, or a jaw injury after a fall or fight. A broken tooth, bad breath or tartar can wait for a regular visit at Petfolk Indian Land.
How do I book a dental exam in Indian Land?
For a dental exam with a veterinarian in Indian Land, visit Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Indian Land at 1150 Sherbrook Ave, Ste B109, Indian Land, SC 29707. Call (803) 232-9817 or book online.
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Dog and cat teeth questions
Easy access from Charlotte Hwy and Sherbrook Ave