Newsletter
February is Dental Health Month

Periodontal disease (problems in the area around the teeth) is one of
the most common health problems in companion animals. It is estimated
that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats older than 3 years of age suffer
from some level of periodontal disease. Just as in the human mouth,
the process begins with plaque, which is made of salivary proteins and
bacteria. The bacteria irritate the gum, causing an inflammatory
reaction, which is known as gingivitis. If the plaque is removed by
toothbrushing, the gingivitis resolves and the gums return to normal.
If the plaque is not removed, it hardens into tartar or calculus. The
calculus provides a rough surface for even more plaque to accumulate.
Bad breath may be noted. Inflammation continues in the gums and can
also affect any bone in the area, resulting in destruction of the bone
around the tooth roots. Eventually, the teeth become loose and may
fall out.
In addition to tooth loss, periodontal disease has other, more serious,
consequences. The millions of bacteria present in an unhealthy mouth
can spread to other parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs,
kidneys, and liver, causing disease in these vital organs. In small
breed dogs with tiny jawbones, the bone destruction caused by
periodontal disease can weaken the jawbone enough to cause a
fracture.

The good news is that periodontal disease is completely preventable!
Removing the plaque reverses the inflammatory process in the gingiva
and restores the gums to health. As we know from our own experience,
plaque removal is best achieved by brushing the teeth. Dog and cat
teeth are not as close together as ours are, so flossing is not
necessary. However, in order to be effective, brushing should be done
every day. A soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head is the best
tool for removing plaque from your dog's or cat's teeth. Special pet
toothpaste is available in flavors such as malt, poultry, and seafood to
help your pet enjoy the experience. Human toothpaste should not be
used, because pets do not like the mint flavor and because the
foaming agents in human toothpaste can cause stomach upset if pets
swallow the toothpaste. Because dogs and cats rarely get cavities,
fluoride is not necessary. Feeding special diets such as Purina DH and
encouraging chewing activity with toys such as the Dental Kong also
help reduce plaque accumulation.

Daily toothbrushing, special diets, and chewing activity help prevent
plaque from hardening into calculus. Once calculus is present,
however, a professional cleaning is required. Although the bone
destruction caused by periodontal disease cannot be reversed, the
inflammatory process can be stopped or slowed with proper
treatment. Routine periodontal treatment involves ultrasonic scaling
above and below the gum line. Because your veterinarian cannot
simply tell your pet to "hold still," these procedures require that
your pet be placed under anesthesia. Anesthesia always has inherent
risks. However, your veterinarian is experienced and the risk related
to anesthesia is minimal. To further minimize this risk to your pet,
your veterinarian may recommend blood and other tests prior to
sedation. These are done before anesthesia to reveal any problems
that may not be obvious from a physical examination.

In addition to periodontal disease, cats can develop "resorptive"
lesions, which can lead to pain and difficulty eating. These lesions are
sometimes called cavities, but they do not result from bacteria and
sugars as people's cavities do. Cells such as the ones responsible for
removing deciduous (baby) tooth roots become activated and start to
attack permanent teeth. The result is destruction of large amounts of
the tooth and exposure of the nerve, or pulp, inside the tooth. Pain
may be evident in behavior such as pawing at the face, dropping food,
drooling, or reluctance to eat. Resorptive lesions cannot be filled like
human cavities, as the cells continue to work under the filling and
destroy the remaining tooth. The current recommended action for
affected teeth is extraction. At this time, because we do not know
why the cells become activated, there is no known way to prevent
resorptive lesions. Regular examinations by your veterinarian will
help to detect these lesions early, before they can cause significant
pain to your cat.

By brushing your pet's teeth and scheduling regular examinations with
your veterinarian, you can provide your companion with a lifetime of
fresh breath, clean teeth, healthy gums, and strong jawbones. In
addition, you will be helping to keep your pet pain free and in overall
good health.
BEFORE
AFTER
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LESION