Let’s face it, most of us do not look in our pet’s mouths very often. In fact, I’m sure some of you even avoid it because there is such a foul odor. 60-70% of all pets have some form of dental disease by the time they are 3 years old. Some pets, like some people will have more dental disease than others just due to genetics. Smaller breed dogs seem to have more dental problems that large breed dogs, and cats will get resorptive lesions that are very painful more frequently than dogs.
What is the best way to help your pet’s mouth? Routine at home care and periodic professional dental cleanings. We typically recommend to have your pet sedated to have their teeth scaled and polished once every 1-3 years depending on the patient. During their sedated dental scaling and polishing, they are also getting a complete oral examination. Yes, we check the mouth during routine physicals, but there is so much more we can examine while they are sedated. No pet is going to sit still and saw ahh, long enough to get a great oral evaluation and scaling both above and below the gum line. We also like to administer a fluoride treatment after their scaling and polishing. Radiographs help us determine how much disease there is under the gum line. Dental radiographs are the only tool to let us see how healthy the tooth roots really are.
So your pet has had a sedated dental scaling and polishing, now what? That plaque will return. We wish it wouldn’t, but unless you stop feeding them, just like people the plaque cycle starts all over again. At home daily care and prevention is the key. Ideally brushing should happen 3-4 times a week with veterinary tooth paste. Toothpaste made for people will make pets sick. There are also dental prescription diets that are designed to grind against the teeth more than ordinary dry food to mechanically remove more debris. Water additive were once very popular, but most pets do not swish their water enough to coat the teeth. The Veterinary Oral Health Counsel has done research to back the claims of companies to prevent and reduce dental disease. Look for the seal of approval on toys and treats. Our favorite prevention product is an Oravet Chew. It is a prescription, but it works great at preventing the biofilm of bacteria that leads to plaque and dental disease.
Let’s get those mouths clean!
