Dental FAQs
Many times I get asked, “Well won’t I know if a tooth is bothering my pet?’ The answer is it is very rare to find a pet refusing food or overtly painful because of dental disease. Pets hide pain and illness just like their wild counterparts. If the condition is gradual many owners may attribute their pets painful mouth to “acting older” or “getting grumpy”, or “they just don’t like their mouth touched”. More often we find that once the chronic infection and pain is treated owners report their pet is like a new dog or cat again, playful and happy.
Nearly 75% of all pets over the age of three suffer silently with periodontal disease. Periodontal disease starts as bacteria mixed with food particles and saliva creating plaque on the tooth surface and along the gumline. The earliest sign of periodontal disease is gingivitis or red and swollen gums. If untreated, the plaque can then mineralize into more visible tarter and calculus. Not only does this lead to bad breath and discolored teeth, but the infection also begins to affect the tooth’s’ supporting structures and even the bone of the jaw around the tooth.
- Visit your veterinarian for regular oral examinations to assess for gingivitis, dental tarter, and to check for broken teeth that can be painful and lead to infection as well.
- Start regular at-home dental care with regular tooth brushing, dental treats, water additives, or other at-home veterinary recommended products. Look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal on the available dental products.
- Start early and regular Comprehensive Oral Health Exams and Treatments (COHAT). This is especially important for at-risk breeds (including small breed dogs and shorter faced “brachycephalic” pets).
- Insist on regular imaging (radiographs, CT imaging) at the time of your pets COHAT. We know much of the dental disease may actually be happening below the gumline and so imaging allows us to investigate to ensure we aren’t leaving painful or diseased teeth untreated. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg.
- A loose or wiggly tooth
- Bad breath
- A cracked or fractured tooth
- Bleeding or swollen gums
- Heavy tarter
Dental FAQs
Many times I get asked, “Well won’t I know if a tooth is bothering my pet?’ The answer is it is very rare to find a pet refusing food or overtly painful because of dental disease. Pets hide pain and illness just like their wild counterparts. If the condition is gradual many owners may attribute their pets painful mouth to “acting older” or “getting grumpy”, or “they just don’t like their mouth touched”. More often we find that once the chronic infection and pain is treated owners report their pet is like a new dog or cat again, playful and happy.
Nearly 75% of all pets over the age of three suffer silently with periodontal disease. Periodontal disease starts as bacteria mixed with food particles and saliva creating plaque on the tooth surface and along the gumline. The earliest sign of periodontal disease is gingivitis or red and swollen gums. If untreated, the plaque can then mineralize into more visible tarter and calculus. Not only does this lead to bad breath and discolored teeth, but the infection also begins to affect the tooth’s’ supporting structures and even the bone of the jaw around the tooth.
- Visit your veterinarian for regular oral examinations to assess for gingivitis, dental tarter, and to check for broken teeth that can be painful and lead to infection as well.
- Start regular at-home dental care with regular tooth brushing, dental treats, water additives, or other at-home veterinary recommended products. Look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal on the available dental products.
- Start early and regular Comprehensive Oral Health Exams and Treatments (COHAT). This is especially important for at-risk breeds (including small breed dogs and shorter faced “brachycephalic” pets).
- Insist on regular imaging (radiographs, CT imaging) at the time of your pets COHAT. We know much of the dental disease may actually be happening below the gumline and so imaging allows us to investigate to ensure we aren’t leaving painful or diseased teeth untreated. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg.
- A loose or wiggly tooth
- Bad breath
- A cracked or fractured tooth
- Bleeding or swollen gums
- Heavy tarter