Dentistry
DENTAL CHECK-UPS
Regular dental check-ups are strongly recommended; the interval between check-ups varies from pet to pet and also depends on how effective the home care program is.
We recommend bi-annual physical exams which include an oral exam.
If it is determined that your pet needs a dental cleaning, it will require the use of special instruments and equipment. A typical dental cleaning includes ultrasonic scaling, sub-gingival scaling and polishing. All dental procedures are performed under general anesthesia. The current state-of-the-art veterinary anesthesia is such, that this poses minimal risk. The adverse effects of bad teeth on the overall health of the animal also greatly outweigh the anesthetic risk.
HOME CARE
Be patient when initiating oral home care, especially in older animals. It is best to start dental care at an early age. Introduce brushing gradually and begin by rubbing your pet’s teeth and gums with a soft gauze wrapped around your finger. Gradually switch over to a toothbrush designed for pets or to a very soft human toothbrush. Avoid forceful restraint of the patient; rather make it a bonding experience and always praise and reward your pet for its cooperation.
Dental disease is the number one health problem in companion animals over seven years of age. Many factors contribute to this problem including diet, age, genetics, conformation, and general overall health.
As a rule, animals that eat soft food tend to have more periodontal disease problems than animals that eat the hard type of food. Older animals have more problems than younger animals. Some animals seem to be predisposed to periodontal disease, especially in pure breed dogs and cats. Animals with crowded teeth and especially small breed dogs have more problems than large breed dogs or those dogs with lots of room between their teeth.
Animals with other problems, such as diabetic animals, may have more periodontal disease problems than animals that are otherwise healthy.
Besides the obvious oral problems, periodontal disease may contribute to other health problems such as heart disease and kidney disease. Infection and inflammation of the gums and supporting tissues of the teeth are caused by bacteria present in plaque and tartar. This bacteria and its toxins enter the bloodstream with potentially disastrous effects on internal organs.
The clinical signs of periodontal disease include red gums, foul mouth odor, difficulty chewing, moderate to heavy dental tartar, and tooth loss.
The best treatment for periodontal disease is prevention. Pets with crowded teeth should have them removed early in life. Proper diets should include hard “biscuits” and be nutritionally complete. Oral maintenance (tooth brushing) should be started early BEFORE periodontal disease has a chance to start.
Pets should have their first dental cleaning by three years of age. Just like with people, these problems can be prevented.
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