Dentistry
Dental Health For Pets
Dentistry is a rapidly growing area of veterinary science, and over the last 25 years there has been a much greater awareness of its importance to the overall health of the animals we treat.
Just like us, our pets are vulnerable to gum disease and problems with their teeth, and the health of their teeth and gums has a significant impact on their overall quality of life. Imagine how your mouth would feel, and smell, if you never brushed your teeth. Now imagine having a really bad toothache and not being able to tell anyone about it.
Alarmingly, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats suffer from some form of dental disease by the age of three.
What causes dental disease?
Dental disease begins with a build-up of bacteria in your pet’s mouth. Bacteria, combined with saliva and food debris, form plaque, which sticks to the tooth surface above and below the gum line. If it isn’t removed, calcium salts are deposited and the plaque hardens into tartar (also known as calculus), which appears as a yellow-brown material starting near the gum line.
Without proper preventive or therapeutic care, plaque and tartar lead to periodontal disease, which affects the tissues and structures supporting the teeth. Over time, the bacterial infection in tartar causes irreversible changes, including the destruction of supportive tissue and bone, resulting in red gums, bad breath and loosening of teeth. The same infection can also spread to the rest of the body, affecting organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys, and can make your pet seriously ill. Ultimately, dental disease causes many pets to suffer unnecessary pain, gum infection and tooth loss, and it has the potential to shorten your pet’s lifespan.
Common signs of dental disease, in order of severity, include:
- Yellow-brown tartar around the gumline
- Inflamed, red gums
- Bad breath
- Change in eating or chewing habits (especially in cats)
- Pawing at the face or mouth
- Excessive drooling
- Pain or bleeding when you touch the gums or mouth
If your pet is showing any of these signs of dental disease please book an appointment to see one of our veterinarians. Early assessment and action can save your pet’s teeth!
What does a professional dental clean involve?
It is the same as a scale and polish done by a dentist for us. However, unlike us, our pets won’t sit still or open their mouths to allow a thorough examination and clean, so a general anaesthetic is needed to do the job properly without distressing them.
Before the procedure: Your pet will be assessed by one of our veterinarians to determine the degree of dental disease and whether extractions, antibiotics or anti-inflammatories may be needed. This may also include a physical exam, blood tests and urine tests to make sure your pet is healthy enough for an anaesthetic.
During the procedure: Once your pet is anaesthetised, we carry out a complete dental examination. This involves charting all present teeth and evaluating their condition, including the degree of tartar, gingivitis (gum inflammation) and any pockets in the gums around the teeth. Our veterinarians then remove the tartar using an ultrasonic scaler, just like a dentist uses on our teeth, and polish the teeth with a dental polisher and specialised fine-grade paste.
If the dental disease is not severe, the procedure ends here. However, if any teeth are so badly affected that they cannot be saved, extractions will be necessary. In some cases, gum surgery is needed to close the holes left behind after an extraction, using dissolvable stitches.
After the procedure: Once all dental work is complete, your pet may be given an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory injection before being woken up in hospital. Most pets are able to go home the same day.
Aftercare and follow-up
Following a professional dental clean, we’ll put together a plan with you to minimise tartar building up again. This will depend on the severity of your pet’s dental disease and may involve regular tooth brushing and/or a special diet. We recommend all pets be re-examined 6 months after a dental clean to check how well their home care routine is working.
How can I prevent dental disease?
Long-term control and prevention of dental disease requires regular home care, and the best way to begin is to get your pet used to it from a young age. Dental home care may include:
- Brushing teeth daily – just like us! This is the best form of dental hygiene. Pet toothbrushes and toothpaste are available. Please do not use human toothpaste on your pet, as it is not designed to be swallowed and may be toxic.
- Feeding a special dental diet, which can help reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar.
- Using dental toys, enzymatic chews or teeth-cleaning biscuits, all of which may help keep the teeth clean.
- Greenies – Greenies can be given as a daily treat as they are low in calories. They are endorsed by the Australian Veterinary Oral Health Council (AVOHC) and are clinically proven to help clean teeth by fighting plaque and tartar build-up, freshening breath and maintaining healthier teeth and gums.
For dogs: Greenies come in different sizes based on your dog’s weight and bite force.
For cats: Feline Greenies come in chicken, ocean fish and salmon flavours, and are also AVOHC-approved for tartar reduction.
Regular attention to your pet’s teeth may avoid the need for a professional dental clean under anaesthetic, and will also improve their overall health.
If you have any questions about dental care or professional cleaning, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
