Watch Your Mouth
The Roots Of Comfort and Health Begin With Oral Care
By Margot K. Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ
For the GPHN
Based on common questions from clients, there is a spectrum of knowledge about pet oral health care and just what your pet needs in terms of home care and professional veterinary care.
The development of pet dental disease is the most common clinical problem we see because all pets eat, and that leads to the development and progression of dental disease over time. Unchecked and unaddressed dental and periodontal disease can have a huge impact on a pet’s quality of life and shorten their lifespan.
Starting as puppies and kittens, all pets should be acclimated to their mouth being handled (some cats may disagree) as well as brushing their teeth with a pet-approved toothpaste. We pay close attention to the deciduous or baby teeth as, particularly in dogs, breed and bite (how the teeth mesh together) can have impact on the adult teeth and patient’s oral health over time. Retained baby canine teeth do not allow the gums to adhere properly to the adult teeth, which can promote early periodontal disease.
There are four stages of periodontal disease:
Stage 1 – This early stage shows as a telltale thin line of red inflammation at the junction of gum and tooth. This is caused by inflammation of the gums in reaction to the presence of developing tartar and bacteria. A professional veterinary dental assessment and cleaning followed by home care makes this stage very reversible.
Stage 2 – As progressive tartar accrues, the gums and periodontal tissues become more inflamed and mild bone loss (less than 25 percent, visible only with dental X-rays) begins. Gums may be more swollen and mild bad breath can be noticed as this stage. A professional veterinary dental assessment and cleaning followed by home care makes this stage reversible.
Stage 3 – Without treatment by cleaning, periodontal disease continues to progress and this stage is characterized by 25-50 percent bone loss that can only be seen on dental X-rays. But gums become more inflamed and loss of periodontal bone can allow pockets of infection to develop and tartar to invade below the gumline.
Stage 4 – Unchecked by dental care, this final and severe stage has greater than 50 percent bone loss that show painful, infected and loose teeth. This degree of periodontal disease means also that bacteria from the mouth easily enter the bloodstream and cause systemic infection along with damage to organs such as the kidneys and/or valves of the heart.
There’s a reason that human dentists recommend brushing teeth a minimum of twice daily and flossing along with regular dental hygiene cleanings every six to 12 months. But pets cannot brush their own teeth.
Thankfully, we don’t have to help them floss, but daily brushing of the cheek-side of the teeth really can help to maintain not only dental health but widen the interval between veterinary dental assessments and cleanings under anesthesia. Non-anesthetic dental cleanings are not recommended, as their results are cosmetic and of short duration – not to mention that dental X-rays cannot be taken on awake animals.
Flip the lip to see what’s going on in there — especially the caudal teeth that are deep in the mouth — and get to brushing. Your veterinarian can answer any and all questions about the benefits of professional veterinary dental assessments and cleanings — along with any worries you might have about anesthesia.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit parkhillvet.com