Dental health is often overlooked in our pets. This is unfortunate because it has a large impact on an animal's overall welfare and health, especially in old age. Without hands, pets rely on their mouths for playing as well as eating. Dental disease to a pet is similar to arthritic hands as well as a sore tooth in people. The consequences go far beyond the immediate pain and discomfort however. Like in people, dental disease has also been linked to heart disease and diabetes in pets. By preventing dental disease, we can keep our pets happier and healthier as they age and prevent tooth loss when they are older.
Unlike people, pets don't get cavities; gingivitis and dental disease usually start with a buildup of plaque that calcifies into tartar and binds tightly to the tooth. From there, the gums and bone around the tooth begins to regress and root abscesses form once the tooth becomes loose.
Indicators of dental disease:
Bad breath
Tartar buildup on teeth
Chewing on one side of the mouth
Not playing as much with chew toys
Pain when a tooth is touched
One tooth with much more tartar buildup and/or discolouration
Nasal discharge - usually from one nostril only
Swollen cheek or jaw
The good news is that it can be easy to keep our pet's teeth healthy with simple preventative measures. There are several options for animal dental care, which can be used alone or in combination depending on your pet's particular needs:
Dental chews/treats/diets: There are many different types of dental treats and diets. They rely on either mechanically cleaning the teeth, enzymes designed to break up the plaque or both. These are great to prevent plaque buildup, or slow it's accumulation if it is already present. Unfortunately, they will not remove tartar once it is present. A major downside is that the animal has to chew on them for at least 30 seconds, preferably a minute, and fully imbed all of the teeth in the treat. If they have a sore tooth they will avoid using it. As a result, the sore tooth will accumulate plaque, leading to gum disease and tooth root exposure perpetuating the soreness. These are best used to slow the progression of early dental disease and increase the time between cleanings.
Water additives: These rely on enzymes to break up the plaque. Like diets and chews, they are a preventative and cannot effectively remove tartar once it is present. Unlike diets and treats, they do not rely on chewing, so can help slow dental disease if a tooth is sore. Water additives can be used alone or, preferably, in combination with dental treats.
Brushing: This is the gold standard for dental home-care. Done daily, it will disrupt and remove the plaque before it calcifies into tartar and cements itself to the tooth. Like treats and water additives, brushing does not remove fully calcified tartar. It takes some patience and training but most pets get used to it. There are several models of pet tooth brushes available, though a child's toothbrush is generally more effective and less expensive. Use a toothpaste formulated for pets as they will swallow regular human toothpaste and can get a toxicity.
Cleaning and Polishing: A professional dental prophy is the only method that will properly remove hardened tartar. Like people, a routine descaling and polishing when tartar builds up will prevent having to pull teeth. Following cleaning, other options can help slow tartar buildup by removing plaque before it can calcify, increasing the time between teeth cleanings. Annual dental checkups will ensure we are being preventative rather than waiting until a tooth is sore and has to be pulled.
If dental disease progresses and teeth become abscessed or loose and painful, it becomes a serious problem. Most commonly, these teeth require extraction which takes more time and is much more involved. However, extracting those teeth will let your pet get back to eating and playing comfortably once again.
