Dental insurance cover for pets

Time to read: 10 mins

Dental cover is a core element of most pet insurance plans, but not all plans include it as standard. You’ll also find that the limit for dental treatment will differ across providers and different types of cover.

Why might you need dental cover?

Pets are inquisitive by their very nature and it’s common to find them getting scrapes and scratches. When it comes down to dental health dogs love to bite and chew things, while cats often munch on prey that they’ve caught, both of which can lead to accident and injuries such as chipped or broken teeth and gum damage.

Pet insurance helps you to cover the cost of potentially expensive dental work needed for your 4-legged friend.

What dental health problems can pets have?

Poor oral hygiene can affect your pet’s mouth, teeth and gums but in some severe cases can extend to other areas. Typical dental afflictions include:

Plaque: Pet’s teeth can develop a build-up of plaque which, if left untreated, can become tartar – a hard substance made up of bad bacteria. This build up on the teeth will eventually cause gingivitis. You will know your pet has gingivitis if they have red, swollen gums that can sometimes bleed and cause bad breath. These bad bacteria can travel through the blood stream and, in extreme cases, can cause heart and kidney problems.
Gum disease: Gum disease in dogs is many times more prevalent than in humans. It can lead to conditions such as gingivitis and periodontal disease. If untreated, gum disease can cause serious issues such as inflamed gums, tissue damaged, loss of teeth and even jaw fracture.
Chipped or fractured teeth: Although rare, broken teeth are painful due to the nerves that exist within them. Broken teeth can occur due to weakening by dental disease or been eroded by hard objects such as stones or bones.

Signs your pet may have dental problems

We’d recommend that you see a vet in the event that you uncover the symptoms below. They may not be problems but rather something brought on by diet or behaviour, but it’s best to double check whether they are indicators of more serious conditions. Here are the main signs your pet needs to see a vet:

Smelly breath
Reduced appetite and weight loss
Red or swollen gums
Bleeding gums
Yellow crusty build up on the teeth
Dropping food from the side of the mouth
Excessive drooling

If you think your pet may be suffering from any of these conditions or any other worries about your pet you can speak to qualified veterinary nurses on our 24/7 pet advice Careline.

How to keep your pet’s teeth healthy

Dental care is a key part of responsible pet ownership. Prevention is better than cure so here are a few tips about what you can do to protect against dental issues.

Brushing pet’s teeth: There are a number of pet owners who are reluctant to brush their pet’s teeth, but not only is it good for their oral health, many pets, especially dogs, love the attention. It’s not something that we talk about a lot so it’s a good idea to ask your vet or vet nurse to give you a demonstration of how best to clean their teeth – that way you’ll get it right from the start. For more information, you can read our guide on how to brush your dog’s teeth.
Dental chews and toys: You’ve probably seen specific chews in pet shops that claim to reduce build up of plaque, there are many available and some are accredited by VOHC which requires them to reduce plaque by 10% or more before being approved, so you can have confidence in their effectiveness.
Diet: Diet is a key element of dental health, if you notice some of the symptoms above then consult your vet who may advise you to change your pet’s diet to alleviate the effects you’re noticing.

Regular check-ups: Regular vet check ups are key to identifying any issues early on so that they can be treated before they become more serious. This will be much better for your pets health, and likely better for your bank balance too!

Do all pet insurance plans include dental?

Pet insurance doesn’t always include dental as standard. Whilst most providers offer dental cover as a part of their policies in some form or another it’s worth checking the policy wording to ensure that this is included.

Even in policies where dental is included – such as ours – cover limits will vary. Dental cover ranges from £250 on our accident-only policy up to £8,000 with our lifetime pet insurance cover.

Do pets only get cover for accidents and injury?

It is prudent to get routine dental check ups and dental cleaning, but they are not typically covered by pet insurance policies. Most cover is for dental accidents and injuries only, so those caused by biting stones for example.

In some cases you might find cover for cosmetic dental work but this is more difficult to find included particularly amongst the more popular and typical providers out there.

Our dental limits per plan

Our dental cover is available on all of our plans and apply to accident and injury only, so we won’t be able to cover cosmetic treatment for your pets. Below our plans are detailed with the dental cover that is included on each.

Name	Cover details	Cover amount (up to)
Bronze	12 month time limited. Pays up to 12 months from first date of treatment. Cover limit applies per accident.	£250
Silver	12 month time limited. Cover limit applies per injury and illness.	£3,000
Gold	Up to the maximum benefit per injury / illness.	£4,000
Prime	Per plan year, reinstated every year.	£2,500
Premier	Per plan year, reinstated every year.	£4,000
Premier Plus	Per plan year, reinstated every year.	£8,000
Champ 2.5	Reinstated each year.	£2,500
Champ 4.0	Reinstated each year.	£4,000
Champ 8.0	Reinstated each year.	£8,000