February is National Dental Month
There is a lot to smile about in February with Valentine’s Day just around the corner and only a smooch away. It is only fitting that while your pet puckers up for their Valentine that we celebrate National Dental Month (coincidence, we think not). So let’s see those smiles!
Proper oral heath is not only important for humans, just as brushing your teeth every day is second nature the same should be true for your pet. As responsible pet owners it is our duty to help our pets maintain a healthy smile, since pets lack opposable thumbs to do the teeth brushing themselves. So give your pet something to truly smile about and make their oral health a priority. Just as proper pet nutrition & exercise is important, proper oral care should be too. But often we neglect our pets’ oral health, which can be a huge toll on their health and our wallets.
Preventive routine teeth cleaning & brushing is an important part of your pets overall health & wellness. Year round dental care not only means a healthier pet but less vet bills. So take a few minutes out of your day to brush your pets’ teeth. So how often should you brush your pets’ teeth? It is advised that you should brush your pets’ teeth 2-3 times a week. Also you should take your pet in for a yearly vet physical and oral health check-up.
Like anything, prevention is the key! Proper oral hygiene helps your pet ward off bad breath, tarter build up, plaque, sickness, periodontal gum and heart disease. If proper dental care is not taken seriously, dirty plaque can be the breeding ground for bacteria, which can wreak havoc on your pets system and can cause heart, liver and kidney problems. So, during your grooming sessions & daily teeth brushing check for pain, swelling, redness, foul odors (halitosis), and loose or broken teeth in need of immediate vet attention. If your pet is having trouble chewing and swallowing then a dental check up is in order.
Five Things You Can Do To Keep Your Pets Teeth Healthy
1.) Yearly Vet Dental Check-up! Have your pets teeth examined by your trusted certified vet during his or her yearly physical. At this time a veterinarian will check for signs of bad breath, accumulation of tarter, signs of gum disease and other oral problems. Early detection of tooth, gum and oral disease will give you and your pet less toothache in the long run. The dental problem is more likely to be treated properly and with a positive outcome.
2.) Don’t indulge your pet’s sweet tooth! Since sugar can encourage bacterial growth.
3.) Give your pet a good dental chew or treat to help keep the tarter at bay! Not only are dental chews a great way to keep your pets teeth clean, but they will also keep your pet entertained for hours.
4.) Brush your pets’ teeth on a daily basis (2-3x’s a week). Although dental chews are great, they should not be a substitute for a good teeth brushing. You can purchase special pet toothpaste and a pet toothbrush, NEVER use human toothpaste since your pet can’t spit or rinse. The key to successful tooth brushing is to start your pet off slowly, be gentle and use positive reinforcement. Treats work wonders! To make tooth brushing easy for both you and your pet, it is important to acclimate your anxious and often fearful pet. Start by placing toothpaste on your fingers and gently rub them in your pets’ mouth. Not only will this get your pet accustomed to the taste of the toothpaste, it will be easier to introduce a toothbrush.
5.) Professional Dental Cleaning! At home pet dental cleaning is a must, but nothing compares to a good thorough yearly cleaning by a certified vet during your pets yearly physical. During your pets yearly check-up your vet should inform you if your pet is in need of a professional dental cleaning.
More than 85% of pets older than four years have periodontal concerns. There are four periodontal types of tissue: the gingiva (gum), cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar supporting bone.
Periodontal disease starts when plaque forms; plaque is a transparent adhesive fluid composed of mucin, sloughed epithelial cells and aerobic, and gram-positive cocci. Plaque starts forming two days after dental cleaning. If the plaque is not removed, mineral salts in the food can precipitate to form hard dental calculus. The calculus is irritating to the gingival tissue, changing the pH of the mouth and allowing bacteria to survive subgingivally. By products of these bacteria “eat away” at the tooth’s support structures, eventually causing the tooth to be lost in some cases.
The common grading system used to classify the degree of periodontal disease is the Mobility Index. The Mobility Index evaluates the looseness of the tooth.
- Class I: the tooth moves slightly.
- Class II: is when a tooth moves less than the distance of the crown width.
- Class III: the tooth moves greater than the distance of the crown width. Class III teeth have lost more than 50% of their support and in most cases should be extracted.
Periodontal disease can also be staged.
· Stage 1: Gingivitis
· Stage 2: Early periodontitis-less than 25% loss.
· Stage 3: Established periodontitis- between 25%-50% loss.
· Stage 4: Advanced periodontitis- greater than 50% support loss.
When periodontal disease is not treated, sub gingival bacteria can continue to reproduce, creating deeper periodontal pockets through the bone destruction. Eventually, this progression can cause tooth loss and other internal medical problems.
Common Questions Pet Owners Ask
Q: Why does my pet have to be anesthetized?
A: Unlike ourselves, our pets won’t sit in a chair quietly for us to scale and polish their teeth. Without their being asleep we are unable to reach and clean each tooth or preform a through oral exam.
Q: What are the risks of anesthesia?
A: Anesthesia is never without risks, however, we strive to minimize those risks by utilizing the following tools.
· Checking blood work to ensure that the kidneys and liver are functioning properly. These organs metabolize most drugs used during the course of anesthesia. This is especially important if your pet is a senior citizen or has periodontal disease greater than stage 2.
· We use monitoring equipment that allows us to track heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, saturated oxygen levels and blood pressure.
· We utilize the most currently available drugs on the market and tailor them towards the specific needs of your pet such as age, species and breed.
