It's Dental Month...Let's Talk About It

What is Dental Disease?

Dental disease is one of the most common diseases veterinarians see on a daily basis. The disease is most commonly seen in small breed and toy breed dogs and cats. Other breeds I commonly see dental disease in are Grey Hounds and Bull Terriers. Left untreated, this disease can progress and cause further problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and/or tooth root abscesses. Dental disease in dogs and cats is not the same as that seen in humans. Humans commonly get tooth decay and cavities, while we see periodontal disease and fractured teeth in our four-legged friends.

Periodontal Disease is described as inflammation and infection of the gingiva that is associated with the teeth. This can lead to gum recession, gingival pockets and tooth root abscesses, causing your dog and cat pain. Periodontal Disease is caused by a significant amount of tarter and plaque causing accumulation of bacteria and irritation of the gums.

Fractured teeth are caused when your animal chews on hard objects, such as antlers, hard bones, large sticks, etc. When the pulp is exposed in an animals tooth, which allows a “tunnel” into your animal’s systemic (inside) system for bacteria to reside.  

Stages of Dental Disease: 

Signs to Look For

A lot of animals will not show obvious clinical signs of illness. Some signs you may notice are halitosis (bad breath), teeth staining and bleeding on toys after chewing. Some animals may have more trouble eating or stop eating in general. The best thing to do if you are concerned is bring them into your local veterinarian and have then take a view.

Treatment

The treatment for Periodontal Disease is a comprehensive oral cleaning and examination. Anesthesia is needed for this procedure since most animals will not allow a cleaning without risk of biting.  During the procedure a comprehensive oral procedure will be done. This is where the veterinarian or technician will check for pockets, masses or gum recessions and mark it on a personalized sheet. The teeth are then professionally scaled and polished. Dental radiographs (x-rays) will then be taken depending on the findings of the comprehensive examination. These x-rays allow the veterinarian to get a visual of the tooth roots to make sure there are no problems that are not addressed. This will help catch problems earlier and help decrease the amount of dental procedures needed throughout your animal’s lives. It is a great idea to perform yearly dental x-rays on your patient, but this is not always possible based on availability, cost and risk vs. benefit of anesthesia. If an extraction is needed this will also be accomplished during the procedure.

Prevention

The best preventative medicine is daily brushing. My recommendations for this are as follows:

1.  ONLY use animal friendly toothpaste. NO HUMAN TOOTHPASTE.

2. Use this as a treat for 1-2 weeks.

3. After the initial 1-2 weeks start placing your fingers in the animal’s mouth with the toothpaste on       your finger.

4. Start placing the toothpaste on a finger brush, piece of gauze or Q-tip and abrase the teeth as you         were to brush yours. Make sure to concentrate along the gum line.

5.  Perform this daily if possible.

6.  Give your pet a great treat afterwards for reward!

I hope this information can help answer some of your burning questions regarding dental care. Never hesitate messaging below with your questions, I would LOVE to help!!