Keeping your pet's mouth healthy

Dental health is one of the most important aspects of dog and cat healthcare, but it is often one of the easiest to overlook.  Most dogs or cats will need a professional dental cleaning between three and five years of age.  Some pets can go longer, and some pets will need a dental cleaning much sooner.

How do I know my pet needs his or her teeth cleaned?
The first thing you’ll probably notice at home is your pet’s breath.  “Dog breath” (or “cat breath”) is actually not normal.  If your pet’s breath has a strong odor, it is probably a sign that dental disease is present.  If you gently lift your pet’s lips and look at his teeth (especially the teeth way in the back), you’ll probably see a brown or yellow film on his white teeth.  This film is called plaque, a thin layer of food particles and bacteria.   Plaque is soft and can be removed by brushing, but  eventually it hardens into a tough substance called calculus.  Calculus can’t be removed by brushing alone and requires a professional dental cleaning to remove it.

Why is it so important to keep my pet’s teeth clean?
Left untreated, dental disease will only get worse.  A light film of plaque hardens to calculus.  Calculus builds up on the teeth and thickens as time goes by.  Soon, the gum tissue (gingiva) will become inflamed and red, a condition called gingivitis.  Bacteria eventually makes its way underneath the gums and around the roots of the teeth, causing periodontitis, or an infection of the bone around the tooth roots. 

Periodontitis is a painful condition.  If it is not treated, eventually the tooth will become loose.  Most loose teeth do not fall out on their own, but remain in place as a persistent source of infection and discomfort.  If your pet has severe dental disease, he may be reluctant to eat hard food, may lose interest in chew toys, or may simply be a little less active than he used to be.  However, most pets continue to play and eat normally and seldom show outward signs of discomfort, but you can be sure that periodontal disease is painful all the same.   Have you ever had a tooth with cold sensitivity? Now imagine your gums being tender and sore, and every time you chew, that tooth wiggles and presses on the inflamed gum tissue.  Sounds painful, doesn’t it? Yet this is the type of thing that millions of dogs and cats live with every day.

How is periodontal disease treated?
A professional dental cleaning is done under general anesthesia.  The teeth are cleaned and polished like your teeth would be cleaned and polished at the dentist.  Usually a fluoride rinse is applied.  Each tooth is examined for signs of periodontal disease: exposed roots, pockets in the gum tissue next to tooth roots, and looseness.  Teeth that have advanced periodontal disease need to be surgically removed.  If they stay, they will only continue to be a source of infection and discomfort.  

How can I prevent periodontal disease in my pet?
Dental home care is very important to maintain oral health!  Brushing your pet’s teeth on a daily basis can help slow the formation of calculus. A soft toothbrush and flavored pet toothpaste are the first place to start.  Human toothpaste should not be used.  If your pet will not allow you to brush his teeth, you have a lot of other options.  Chew toys and specially formulated diets can help prevent plaque buildup.  The Veterinary Oral Health Council has a list of foods and edible toys that are approved to help prevent dental disease. 

All pets will need a professional dental cleaning at some point during their life.  Some need it every few years; some pets need their teeth professionally cleaned every year.   By scheduling routine checkups, dental cleanings when needed, and taking a few small steps at home, you can keep your pet’s mouth healthy and pain-free.