Topic of the Month

2/2010: Dental Care

Dental care plays an important role in maintaining the health and quality of life for our canine and feline friends. 85% of all cats and dogs six years of age or older have some form of dental disease. Plaque and gingivitis can cause damage to the tooth and gums, causing loss of support, infection, and pain. Bad breath is very common in animals with periodontal disease. If the gums bleed, bacteria associated with the plaque has potential to enter the blood stream and cause infections within the kidneys, liver, lungs or on the valves of the heart. It is vital to keep our pets' mouths healthy to ensure a happier, healthier life.

The cornerstone of dental health begins with routine care at home. The best way to keep our pets' mouths healthy is through regular brushing of their teeth. Brushing should occur every day to be most effective. You will still see benefits if you only brush three times weekly, but plaque and gingivitis build-up can occur more quickly. Occasional brushing (i.e. once every few weeks) has little to no benefit. There are a variety of other products designed to help maintain oral health: oral rinses, diets, and chews are the most common. Ask at your next visit for a demonstration on how to brush if you do not already know how to do so. A little patience and extra time for teeth care goes a long way to maintaining oral health.

Once plaque and gingivitis had started accumulating, the best way to address them is to have a professional dental cleaning and examination preformed. For animals, this does require general anesthesia. Here at Bay East, we try to minimize any risks of anesthesia by performing a complete exam, high-end blood panel, and ECG prior to anesthesia. Once asleep, we can thoroughly examine the teeth, clean them, and address any problems. We also can use dental x-rays to examine the teeth below the gum line.

It is more beneficial for our pets to pursue dental cleaning as soon as any plaque buildup and gingivitis are noted. Waiting causes infection to set in and the teeth to become weakened, and the mouth can become very sore over time. This leads to a decreased quality of life for the animal and can result in multiple tooth extractions that may have been prevented with earlier intervention.

Oral healthcare is very important. Take the time to give a little TLC to your pet's teeth; they'll thank you for it!

 

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