Contributing Factors
One of the main factors determining the amount of tartar buildup is
the individual chemistry in the mouth. Cleaning should be done routinely or
once a year.
Diet plays more of a role in development of tartar, dry food causes less
tarter and canned food sticks to teeth causes more tartar buildup. However,
eating dry food does not remove tartar from the teeth. Once tartar forms,
a professional cleaning is necessary.
Causes/Transmission
Many different disorders can lead to dental disease. In general, we
will try to determine whether the problem is limited to the dental
disease or has developed into a secondary dental disease.
Clinical Signs
In some cases, owners are unaware that their pet has dental problems,
in other cases it may be better identified with a physical examination.
In other situations owns my see some of the following signs.
- Loose or missing teeth
- A yellow-brown crust near the gum line
- Red or swollen gums
- Discomfort when mouth or gums are touched
- Bad breath (one of the earliest signs of periodontal disease)
- Weight loss or decreased appetite, possibly due to a difficulty
in chewing
- Drooling, or changes in temperament.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of dental disease is usually very easy. A visual examination
of the oral cavity can reveals tartar and gingivitis. However, in most cases,
the true extent of the disease cannot be determined unless the pet is
under anesthesia. This allows us to perform a complete examination of the
mouth.
Treatment
Proper cleaning of the teeth requires complete cooperation of the
patient so that plaque and tartar can be removed. Anesthesia is
required to thoroughly clean the teeth, while there is always a degree of
risk with any anesthetic, be aware that delaying dental care may
reduce your pets health.
Our doctors may run some blood tests prior to schedule cleaning.
There are four steps in the cleaning process that will be used on your
pet:
1. Scaling removes the tartar above and below the gum line.
This is done with hand instruments and ultrasonic cleaning equipment. The
tartar that is under the gums must be removed for a dental cleaning to be
complete.
2. Polishing smoothes the surface of the teeth, making them
resistant to additional plaque formation.
3. Flushing removes dislodged tartar from the teeth helping
to remove the bacteria that accompanies tartar.
4. Oral Rinsing reduces the rate of future plaque formation.
Prognosis
In the early stages of dental disease, the problems may be reversible
however, even cleaning cannot restore the mouth to normal. If teeth are left
unthreaded prognosis worsens.
Some of the consequences of delayed dental care are:
1. The tartar will mechanically push the gums away from the roots of
the teeth. This allows the teeth to loosen in their sockets and infection
to enter the root socket. The teeth will loosen and fall out or have to
be extracted.
2. Infection will accumulate in the mouth, resulting in gingivitis, tonsillitis, and sore throat. Although antibiotics
may temporarily suppress the infection, if the tartar is not removed from
the teeth, infection will return quickly.
3. Infection within the mouth will be picked up by the blood stream
and carried to other parts of the body, kidney and heart infections
frequently begins in the mouth.
Prevention
1. Seek regular veterinary care and have the teeth cleaned when
advised.
2. Try to maintain home dental care with brushing your pets teeth. Special
toothbrushes and flavored toothpastes are available. We will be happy to
show you how to do this.
3. A tartar control diet is available through our clinic. It can be
used as a maintenance diet or as a treat. It will not clean but will
prolong the interval between cleanings.
Talk to one of our doctors today about
dental health in your pet.
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