| Dental Health Month |
| February is Dental Health Month and we want to present some information and tips to help you keep your pet's mouth healthy. |
| Dogs |
| Puppies have deciduous ("baby") teeth that erupt through the gums starting at 3 weeks old and finishing at 6 weeks old. They have 12 incisors, 4 canines, and 12 premolars. "Teething", which is when baby teeth are replaced with adult teeth, begins at 3-1/2 to 4 months old and last until about 6-7 months old. They will increase their chewing, drooling, and develop puppy breath during the times of tooth eruption. Some dogs will not lose all their baby teeth during this time, and that is called retained baby teeth. They will have an adult and baby tooth present in the space at the same time. This is usually seen with incisors and canine teeth, but can occur with the premolars. Small breed dogs and brachycephalic dogs ("smushed" face) are the most common dogs to have retained teeth. Having 2 teeth in the same spot will lead overcrowding issues and can permanently affect tooth alignment and chewing. Food and debris will collect between the 2 teeth and cause tartar and gingivitis to form quickly. Treatment is pulling the baby teeth under general anesthesia, usually at the time of spay or neuter. It should be done earlier if it is starting to misalign the teeth/jaw or causing pain. If there is overcrowding/alignment issues, you may need to bring your dog to a veterinary dentist. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adult dogs have 42 teeth - 12 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars and 4 molars on the upper jaw, and 8 premolars and 6 molars on the lower jaw. 60% of dogs over the age of 3 have periodontal disease Periodontal disease is the most common dental problem in dogs. This is when there is inflammation or infection in the tissues surrounding the tooth. Food and bacterial debris builds up on the teeth, especially at the gumline, and this forms tartar and calculus. This causes the gums to recede, which leads to dental infection, sensitivity, and eventually tooth loss. It is very important to keep infection to a minimum because it can spread from the mouth to other organs, including the heart, liver, and kidneys. Signs of dental disease in dogs: -Excessive drooling, sometimes blood tinged -Decreased interest in food or reluctance to eat when at the bowl -Finicky appetite, such as preferring soft food over hard kibbles -Trouble chewing or swallowing and/or dropping food from their mouth -Halitosis (bad breath) -Pawing at face or shaking their head Treatment and Prevention If tartar is treated early enough and treatment/preventative care is started, the periodontal disease can be avoided. Treatment of tartar is cleaning the teeth with an ultrasonic scaler, then polishing them smooth. This is done under general anesthesia in order to get a thorough cleaning above and below the gumline. Therefore it is necessary for a doctor to examine your pet prior to the procedure to make sure they are healthy. Cleaning teeth will not cure dental disease. As with humans, your pet will still eat everyday and bacteria will always live in the mouth, so we need a daily maintenance plan for after the cleaning. Brushing your dog's teeth isn't the easiest thing in the world, but if it can be attempted, that would be a big benefit. Starting when they are puppies leads to a life of good dental health, but don't be afraid to start in your adult dog too. Use either a small pet toothbrush/fingertip brush or moistened gauze pad and a veterinary toothpaste to quickly brush the outside aspect of the teeth. Try to achieve 30 seconds of cleaning per side. DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE. This can be done daily or 1-2 times a week in order to keep tartar from forming. Once tartar forms though, a professional dental cleaning is necessary. Another way to help prevent dental disease is by feeding a veterinary dental diet in place of their regular dry food. They are specially formulated to help prevent tartar buildup. Examples are Science Diet T/D or Purina DH diets, which we use as treats in our exam rooms. |
