Periodontal Disease in Pets

Periodontal disease is a term used to describe inflammation or infection of the tissues surrounding the tooth. Accumulation of tartar and calculus on the teeth contributes to gum recession around the base of the tooth. Infection soon follows and the gums recede, exposing sensitive unprotected tooth surfaces. Untreated infection then spreads into the tooth socket and ultimately the tooth loosens and is lost.

Dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats. Over 68% of all pets over the age of three have some form of periodontal disease. Most pets will show few signs of dental disease. With this in mind, it is up to the pet's family and veterinarian to uncover this hidden and often painful condition.

What is tartar?

A dog or cat's mouth is home to thousands of bacteria. Many of these bacteria breed on the surfaces of the tooth and form an invisible layer called plaque. Some of this is removed naturally by the pet's tongue and chewing habits, but if allowed to remain on the tooth surface, the plaque thickens, becoming mineralized and is then visible as tartar and ultimately calculus. The tartar presses on the gums, which recede, causing inflammation and infection called gingivitis.

As the oral infection increases, tonsillitis and pharyngitis can also occur. In addition, the bacteria are absorbed into the bloodstream and can be carried to other organs. Heart valve infections, kidney and liver problems are frequently caused by "bad teeth".

        
                  Early Periodontitis                                           Moderate Periodontitis     


Preventing tartar
Plaque becomes mineralized in some dogs much quicker than in others. Special canine chew toys as well as feeding specifically-formulated dental diets may help reduce tartar build up, as does regular home care such as tooth brushing. Today there are many products designed to reduce tartar in our pets such as Oravet Plaque Prevention Gel, oral dental rinse, CET chews.

Will feeding dry food remove tartar?
Once tartar has formed, it will be necessary to remove it by professional scaling and polishing under anesthesia. Pet food manufacturers have recently developed new dental diets that can help reduce the formation of plaque and tartar in your pet.

Dental Scaling and Polishing
The purpose of dental scaling and polishing is to remove the tartar and invisible plaque. We can perform pre-anesthetic blood tests to ensure that kidney and liver function are satisfactory for anesthesia. Sometimes antibiotic treatment is instituted before a full dental prophylaxis is carried out. We will discuss the specific pre-dental recommendations for your pet.

Tooth scaling will be performed using both hand scalers and ultrasonic cleaning equipment to remove tartar both above and below the gum line. The tartar beneath the gum line causes the most significant gum recession. The teeth are then polished in order to help prevent subsequent plaque build-up. It may be necessary to carry out other procedures, such as extractions, at the same time. A special application of OraVet barrier sealant will be applied to reduce plaque accumulation.

Since it can be difficult to predict the extent of dental disease in advance of the procedure, it is imperative that we are able to reach you during the procedure to discuss any additional treatment that may be necessary.

Preventing tartar accumulation following a dental cleaning
Plaque and tartar begin forming in as little as six hours after your pet's dental cleaning. A home dental care program is a must for all pets. We will provide you with detailed instructions on how to brush or rinse your pet's teeth, along with recommendations on products containing enzymes formulated to reduce plaque and tartar build up.