Dental and Gum Disease
Regular dental care keeps your pet's smile healthy and their breath fresh!
Do Pets Really Need Dental Care?
Yes! Pets, like people, need regular dental care. Studies have shown that greater than 85% of dogs and cats over 3 years of age have some form of dental and/or gum disease. Imagine not brushing your teeth or having them cleaned for 3 years!
What Is Dental Disease?
Dental disease starts with plaque. Plaque a sticky substance made up of mucus and bacteria (and a few other things) that occurs naturally in the mouth and covers the teeth. Although plaque is sticky, it is easily removed from teeth (e.g. with a toothbrush).
When plaque is not removed, it hardens into tartar (dental calculus). Tartar is very hard and can only be removed with specialized dental tools.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, known as gingivitis, is redness, swelling (inflammation) and irritation of the gums. Gum disease results from the formation of tartar on the teeth.
Tartar is irritating to the gums, especially under the gum line (where the gums and teeth meet). The tartar present on the teeth induces gingivitis, which can lead to bad breath, inflamed bleeding gums, loose teeth and even oral pain. Surprisingly, most animals will continue to eat despite having a toothache! So even if your pet is eating, it may have gum and/or dental disease.
Once gingivitis has set in, the gums are less able to protect the body from the bacteria in the mouth. This means more bacteria from the mouth can enter the blood. There is evidence that this can affect vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys, and may lead to more serious health complications.
How Is Dental and Gum Disease Prevented?
Dental and gum disease in cats and dogs can be prevented with routine dental cleanings, regular examinations, and a healthy diet. All of these can significantly improve your pet's quality of life and extend their longevity.
Unfortunately, there are some factors that contribute to tartar build-up that are beyond our control. These factors are why some pets need more dental care than others. Factors beyond our control include:
- How much a pet chews its food
- How much saliva a pet produces
- The shape, size and placement of the teeth (all determined by genetics)
- The type of bacteria in the mouth
- A pet's age
Routine Dental Cleanings
Routine dental cleanings consist of:
- Home Dental Care
- Veterinary Dental Care
Home Dental Care
Home dental care is what you can do everyday at home to minimize dental and gum disease in your pet. The absolute best thing you can do for your pet is brush its teeth daily (see below). If your pet will not allow you to brush its teeth, then there are also a variety of gels, treats, and other products that can help fight the plaque and bacteria that leads to dental and gum disease.
Brushing Your Pet's Teeth:
To brush your pet's teeth, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste made for pets. There are several types of toothbrushes; finger brushes are a great choice for your first try. Put some toothpaste on the toothbrush (it often helps to "inject" the toothpaste into the brush's bristles to prevent it from falling off). Brush your pet's outer teeth with a gentle side to side motion, making sure you get all the teeth, especially in the back of the mouth. Fortunately, most gingivitis in cats and dogs happens on the outside of the teeth, so usually you don't have to brush the inside of your pet's teeth (whew!).
Veterinary Dental Care
Veterinary Dental Care is needed when your pet has formed a significant amount of tartar, or has other dental problems that cannot be helped with home dental care. The most common veterinary dental procedure is the routine dentistry (the "prophy").
A prophy is like the routine dental cleanings our dentist does for us, and consists of removing plaque and tartar from the teeth, extracting any teeth that cannot be saved, and polishing the teeth to slow future plaque build-up. Since pets will not hold their mouths open for us, we need to place them under general anesthetic. This allows us to clean the tartar under the gum line (the tartar that causes the most problems); something that is not possible when a pet is awake.
For more information on prophies, see Dentistry For Your Pet.
What Is Dental Month?
February is "Pet Dental Month". During Dental Month, we place extra emphasis on dental care, and invite you to evaluate and/or review the condition of your pet's oral health. Becoming more aware and proactive in the identification, prevention and treatment of dental and gum disease will help your pet live a longer and healthier life.
For more information about Dental Month, or any other questions you may have, please contact us for further information or to book a dentistry for your pet.
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