PETS NEED DENTAL CARE TOO
One of the simplest and most overlooked things we can do for our pets’ health is dental care. The same things that we do for our own teeth apply to our pets as well. Basic daily care, annual or semi-annual scaling, extractions as needed, and special care products can all help prevent major health issues.
Dental care starts with a basic understanding of our pets’ mouths. Dogs and cats both have deciduous (baby) teeth that start to fall out at about four months of age. These are replaced by the adult teeth. Dogs have 42 permanent teeth in most cases, though some of the small breeds with compressed noses will be missing a few. Cats have fewer teeth than dogs. Teeth are held in place with a ligament called the periodontal ligament. Just above the carnasial tooth (the great big cutting tooth in the side of the mouth) is a salivary duct. This duct becomes very important in the health of your pet’s mouth because it is often here that early calculus (tartar) is first noted. Diets with excessive calcium often cause the salivary glands to secrete more minerals and cause faster buildup of tartar.
Plaque is what starts the dental disease process. It is an accumulation of bacteria, food particles, and natural secretions in the mouth. This plaque builds where the tooth and the gums come together. When it is fresh, plaque is easily removed. If it is not removed on a daily basis it becomes tartar. Tartar is a mineralized material that hardens and adheres to the teeth. It is much harder to remove than plaque. Once a significant amount of tartar accumulates, the gums become inflamed and begin to pull away from the tooth. This is called gingivitis. As the inflammation becomes worse, it begins to separate the periodontal ligament that holds the tooth in the socket. This is periodontal disease. Once periodontal disease occurs, it is difficult to repair and often leads to tooth loss.
The chronic inflammation of the gingiva with all the plaque and tartar allows the bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This bacteria travels throughout the body and can lead to heart disease (valvular vegetative endocarditis), kidney disease, and liver disease among other health issues. These can actually lead to fatal conditions; and thus, in a roundabout manner, dental disease can cause the death of your pet.
So What to Do?
The first step, just as in human dental care, is prevention. This means daily brushing or use of other products that will help prevent the buildup of plaque. Realistically, brushing is often difficult to accomplish on a daily basis so other, more convenient products can be considered. One of the most convient and very effective products is t/d food produced by Hill’s. This food, when fed as either the sole diet, or as a minimum of 30% of the total diet will help prevent the buildup of plaque by a “squeegee effect”. Enzymatic tooth pastes (Don’t use human products because they contain too much fluoride and can make your pet sick.), enzymatic chews, and other daily products can also help.
In many cases, the tartar has already built up. This generally means that a “dental” is needed. This may range from a simple scaling and polishing to a full service dental that includes extractions, root canals, antibiotics, and even oral surgery. Once the dental has been performed, the teeth are as clean as they will ever be. It is then time to start on the daily care again. If you are diligent with the daily care, you will reduce the amount that you have to spend on future dental work. It will also keep your pet healthier longer than if a simple annual cleaning is done by itself and thus reduce your overall vet bill.
We strongly recommend that you take a bag of t/d home with you after your pet’s dental to get started off right. In addition, we have many resources for information about dental care that we would be happy to share with you.
When looking for products to use at home, remember that there is a dental association seal of approval for pet products that is much like the ADA seal is for human products: it is called the VOHC seal. It shows that the product has been tested and accepted by the association to meet the claims of improved dental/oral health care. If your product does not have this, it may be an inferior product and may not meet the claims that are being made on the label.
If you have any questions about oral health, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you set up a plan to improve your pet’s health and well being. |
