Dogs and cats need a professional dental cleaning under anesthesia when an exam finds tartar, red gums, loose or broken teeth, or breath that stays bad, and most pets benefit from a yearly oral exam. Most dental disease hides below the gumline, where you can't see it at home. Petfolk SouthPark is a veterinary clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, that provides cleanings, extractions and periodontal care (treatment of the gums and the tissue holding teeth in place); see our veterinarian in SouthPark.
Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
Who gets dental care at Petfolk SouthPark?
Dental patients at Petfolk SouthPark tend to be middle-aged or older. From October 2025 to September 2026:
The typical dental patient at Petfolk SouthPark was about 8 years old, for dogs and cats alike.
More than a quarter of dogs and cats having a dental procedure (27%) were 10 or older.
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, about 97% of dental procedures included dental x-rays, which show the roots and bone hidden below the gumline.
Is bad breath in dogs normal?
Mild breath after a meal is normal; breath that stays sour or rotten usually comes from bacteria in plaque and tartar and from infected gums. Lift your pet's lip and look at the back teeth. Brown or tan buildup where the tooth meets the gum, red gum edges, or bleeding when your pet chews a toy are all reasons to book an exam at Petfolk SouthPark.
If my cat is still eating, can her mouth still hurt?
Yes. Dogs and cats almost always keep eating through mouth pain; what changes is how they eat. Watch for chewing on one side, dropping kibble, swallowing food whole, pawing at the face or a cat who suddenly wants soft food. Cats can also get resorptive lesions, where the tooth itself breaks down at the gumline. These can be very sore and are easy to miss without a careful exam.
Does a cleaning without anesthesia do the same job?
No. Scraping visible tartar makes teeth look whiter, but the disease that loosens teeth lives under the gumline, in pockets a pet won't hold still for. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) dental guidelines call for general anesthesia for a professional cleaning, which also lets the vet probe every tooth, protect the airway and treat what they find.
What happens during a dental cleaning at Petfolk SouthPark?
Exam and pre-anesthetic plan, usually with blood work to check kidney and liver function. The blood work page explains those tests.
General anesthesia, with heart rate, breathing and oxygen levels watched throughout.
Dental x-rays to see roots and bone.
Scaling above and below the gumline, then polishing so plaque has a harder time sticking.
A tooth-by-tooth check of each gum pocket, with findings charted.
A call to you if a tooth needs to come out, with the reason and the estimate before anything changes.
Is my pet too old for anesthesia?
Age alone doesn't rule out a dental cleaning. An older dog with a painful mouth often has more to gain than a young one. What matters is overall health, which is why the Petfolk SouthPark doctor does the pre-anesthetic exam and lab work first and talks with you about any heart murmur or kidney value before scheduling.
Do hard bones and antlers keep teeth clean?
Very hard chews are a common cause of broken teeth, especially the large upper cheek tooth dogs crunch with. If you can't press a thumbnail into the chew, it's too hard. A broken tooth with exposed pulp (the living center of the tooth) is painful and can become infected, so book a visit even if your dog seems fine.
How do I keep my pet's teeth clean after a cleaning?
Plaque builds again within days, so home care decides how long the result lasts.
Brush daily with a pet toothpaste; human toothpaste isn't meant to be swallowed. Even a few times a week helps.
Start slowly: a finger on the lip, then on the teeth, then the brush.
Ask about dental diets and chews that suit your pet's size.
Book a yearly oral exam at Petfolk SouthPark so small problems are caught early.
When is a mouth problem an emergency?
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet's face swells suddenly, after a jaw injury, or for bleeding from the mouth that won't stop. For a broken tooth or a sore mouth without those signs, book with Petfolk SouthPark, which is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week.
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark is in the Strawberry Hill shopping center at 4914 Old Sardis Rd, Unit C5, Charlotte, NC 28211, southeast of Cotswold. Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark, or see all veterinary services in SouthPark.
Dental questions we hear at the SouthPark clinic
On Old Sardis Road in Strawberry Hill