The Importance of Dental Health In Your Pet

‘Dog breath’. It is a smell that cannot be replicated. Roughly 85% of all pets have periodontal disease by the time they are three years old. Dental issues can cause bad breath, pain while chewing and eventual tooth loss. Periodontal disease is a progressive disease of the tissue surrounding teeth and it is the main cause of early tooth loss.

How Does It Start?

It starts when food particles cause bacteria to form plaque in the teeth. Within a matter of days, saliva minerals bond with the plaque, forming the hard substance that sticks to the teeth known as tartar. From there, the bacteria get under the gums and cause inflammation of the gums, or gingivitis. Bacteria destroy the supporting tissues around the tooth once under the gums, leading to tooth loss, known as periodontitis. This, along with gingivitis, make up the changes of periodontal disease. The bacteria associated with PD can also go into the bloodstream, infecting the heart, kidneys and liver.

What To Do/Prevention

Professional veterinary dental cleanings are the only way to remove tartar from the teeth and under gums, protecting your pet’s health. With subsequent dental cleanings and check-ups, gingivitis can be reversible. Periodontal disease is not reversible, however, but diligent dental care, both at home and at the veterinary clinic, can slow down the condition’s progression.

What Dental Cleanings Are

A dental cleaning, or a ‘prophylaxis’, removes plaque and tartar from your pet’s teeth, followed by the assessment of the entire mouth (tongue, gums, lips and teeth), as well as adjustment, filing, extraction or repair of the teeth.

General anesthesia is used to give your pet a thorough cleaning, keeping them free of pain during the procedure, allowing your veterinarian to fully inspect your pet’s teeth and remove tartar from under their gums. It is not recommended for your pet to have a dental exam without anesthesia, Anesthesia-free cleanings do not allow cleaning or inspection below the gum line, where most dental disease occurs.

Dental cleanings include:

• the removal of visible plaque and tartar from the teeth and under the gums. 
• probing of the dental sockets to determine dental disease. 
• Polishing and smoothening the enamel abrasions that can harbor bacteria. 
• Dental X-rays for evaluating problems below the gum line, such as jaw problems. 
• Pet-safe Fluoride application. 
• Removal of infected teeth. 
• Dental charting of disease progression for monitoring purposes over time. 
• Inspection of the entire mouth for growths, wounds, or other problems. 

How To Know When Your Pet Needs A Cleaning

Besides the obvious bad breath, regular inspection of your pet’s mouth is important to catch dental disease before it escalates to irreversible severity. Tartar can appear on teeth close to the gum line as a brown-gold buildup. Redness and bleeding around the gums are obvious indicators of gingivitis. Drooling, discolored teeth, abnormal or difficult chewing and loose/missing teeth are all signs of dental disease and if you notice any of them, schedule a dental cleaning with your veterinarian as quickly as possible.

The Benefits of Dental Cleaning

Professional dental cleanings remove both visible plaque and tartar on the tooth surfaces and bacteria under the gums, eliminating potential infection sources in the mouth and other organs. Cleanings also protect your pet from mouth pain and tooth loss.

Keeping Your Pet’s Teeth Clean At Home

Daily brushing can help with removing food particles between your pet’s teeth. Being that human toothbrushes can be a little too abrasive for your pet’s mouth, a specially designed pet toothbrush is the better option. Most come as a glove that you wear on your index finger. Human toothpastes should definitely be avoided because of their ingredients that shouldn’t be swallowed by your pet. Pet toothpastes, with flavors such as chicken or seafood, are the better option and can be swallowed.

*Folsom Veterinary Hospital has dental specials two times yearly at 20% off. The special’s benefits include anesthetic, cleaning, monitoring after anesthesia and pet-friendly fluoride treatment. It DOES NOT include extractions, pain medications, or antibiotics (both in-house and take-home).*