Dental Health
Owners rarely bring up dental health as a concern during appointments. If they do, it is usually because their furry friend's kisses have become rather unpleasant recently....
Why is Dog Breath So Bad?
A common misconception veterinarians are trying to shed light on, is that dogs have bad breath simply because they are dogs- because they eat strange things, or lick strange things, or they're just dirty. This is just not the case. The truth is.... if you didn't brush your teeth since they grew in, you'd have stinky breath too!
Bad breath, medically known as "halitosis" , is caused by odorous compounds and chemicals given off by anaerobic (low-oxygen) bacteria. These bacteria have important functions and live in and around the environment all the time. However, these bacteria do not belong in a mouth. The best way to prevent the build-up of these anaerobic bacteria, is to take away their food! This is why dental hygiene is so important for dental health. |
Dental Hygiene
Bacteria's food is actually just your pet's leftover food! Every time your pet has a meal, small parts of mainly the carbohydrate component of the diet mix with saliva and while the vast majority does end up in your pet's stomach (and maybe some around the food bowl), the small amount that does stay behind, in crevices of the teeth and on the surfaces of tooth enamel, becomes excellent cuisine for anaerobic bacteria. As these small food particles mix with salts and minerals in saliva, they create a sticky biofilm that attaches to tooth surfaces, and is the food source for those bad-breath-causing bacteria. This is known as plaque, and is manageable with dental hygiene! Plaque needs removed simply by mechanical agitation (tooth brushing), and is recommended daily. There is no replacement for daily tooth brushing.
How to Brush your Pet's Teeth
The most important thing when starting a tooth brushing regimen, is to focus on long term success. Remember that tooth brushing is meant to be a daily grooming routine. Starting with short sessions (15-30 seconds), making all brushing sessions positive for your pet by using a deliciously (chicken, fish) flavored PET SAFE toothpaste, rewarding frequently with treats and praise, and not pushing them to a point where they are uncomfortable, are all key points to a pet's continued tolerance of the brushing. If your pet is hesitant or avoidant of brushing, ease up, do shorter sessions if necessary, but keep the schedule up. A tiny bit of brushing three days in a row is better than no brushing for a week because your pet has started hiding and you've given up!
If you have an exotic pet, teeth brushing is likely not necessary, but every species is different. Please speak with one of our staff with any questions about dental care for exotic pets.
If you have an exotic pet, teeth brushing is likely not necessary, but every species is different. Please speak with one of our staff with any questions about dental care for exotic pets.
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A very important note; home brushing is only effective against plaque, and not tartar. Plaque, otherwise known as the biofilm, is able to be disrupted with a soft bristled brush. Tartar is formed when plaque sits, uninterrupted for days at a time, hardening further with those salts and minerals from your pet's saliva. Tartar is solid, and a soft-bristled toothbrush is a useless tool against it. The most effective way to remove tartar is with a professional dental cleaning under general anesthesia. Further, if your pet has gingivitis (inflammed gum tissue, characterized by dark pink, swollen, gum tissue, and almost always caused by a buildup of tartar) it is not recommended to brush at home. Gingivitis is slightly uncomfortable in a best-case scenario, and very painful in a worst-case scenario.
Below are some examples of mouths that would benefit from home brushing... and mouths that need to be cared for professionally before starting a home care routine.
Below are some examples of mouths that would benefit from home brushing... and mouths that need to be cared for professionally before starting a home care routine.
No gingivitis is present, so brushing may help, but starting fresh from a professional cleaning would be recommended for your cat's healthiest outcome.
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A feline oral resorptive lesion (the red inflammed spot located at the end of the purple gloved finger) is a specialized cavity not fully understood, but usually painful and progressive in nature. Removal of the tooth is curative, and recommended. Do not brush if you are suspicious of a lesion, and bring your cat to the vet for confirmation.
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Does My Pet Really Need a Professional Cleaning?
Yes. Other than the foul breath, oral disease in companion animals is far reaching. As the gums become inflammed and irritated from the bacteria load in the mouth, they eventually begin to recede away from the source of endotoxins, exposing more tooth root, not protected by enamel. Root exposure is painful, and many animals with unchecked dental disease show signs of oral discomfort. Signs include shyness of hands around the face and mouth, pawing at the mouth, excessive drooling, dropping food, excessive lip licking or lip smacking, inappetance, weight loss, and behavioral changes. Anyone who's ever had dental pain can understand.
Besides the pain, that bacteria in your pet's mouth doesn't stay put. It likes to explore. Eventually bacteria can make it's way into the bloodstream via those inflammed, possibly bleeding gums, and travel all around the body to the liver, the kidneys, or even the heart, putting a strain on all these organs and possibly shortening your pet's lifespan. Bad breath can lead to early death. Prevention is the best medicine in the case of dental health, but early intervention is the next best option if tartar has accumulated.
Besides the pain, that bacteria in your pet's mouth doesn't stay put. It likes to explore. Eventually bacteria can make it's way into the bloodstream via those inflammed, possibly bleeding gums, and travel all around the body to the liver, the kidneys, or even the heart, putting a strain on all these organs and possibly shortening your pet's lifespan. Bad breath can lead to early death. Prevention is the best medicine in the case of dental health, but early intervention is the next best option if tartar has accumulated.
What happens during a cleaning? For any professional cleaning, general anesthesia is a necessity. If we could make them hold still and rinse and spit, we would! Actually, the most important reason for general anesthesia is safety. It keeps your pet safe from accidental aspiration pneumonia and the stress of the procedure, and it protects our staff from even the sweetest cat's mouth accidentally closing while we're working. We will run bloodwork on your pet to determine if there are any underlying illnesses that may complicate anesthesia or put a halt to the procedure. If everything is normal, we proceed with sedation, induction, and intubation for maintenance anesthesia with a gas inhalant for the duration of the procedure. Once the cleaning is completed, the gas is turned off, your pet resumes breathing room air, and wakes up within a few minutes, left to recover under indirect supervision in a dark, quiet, heated cage until they're ready to go home. As for the cleaning itself, it's exactly like your dentist! We: ultrasonically scale tartar off all surfaces of the teeth, polish with a fine grit paste to smooth the tooth surface again, take dental xrays to check for disease below the gumline, address any diseased teeth (removal, root canal, pulp capping) give it all a good rinse, and finish with flouride. Just as with your dental health, a professional dental is a clean slate to start from. Daily brushing is necessary to maintain oral health long term. |
In addition to daily brushing and professional cleanings when needed, The VOHC has a list of approved products for DOGS here
These products are clinically proven effective in controlling either plaque or tartar buildup when given daily. |
In addition to daily brushing and professional cleanings when needed, The VOHC has a list of approved products for CATS here
These products are clinically proven effective in controlling either plaque or tartar buildup when given daily. |