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Dental care

by Dr. Jenn Baumgardener
San Juan Veterinary Clinic
822 Spring Creek Rd.
970-249-4490

We all know the importance of brushing and flossing our teeth on a regular basis, but did you ever look inside your pet’s mouth. Dental care of our pets is often overlooked, but pets can develop periodontal disease, tartar, plaque and cavities. Although difficult to assess abscesses, cavities and inflamed gums can be very painful. They will not only cause painful chewing and weight loss, but can actually cause the pet to become depressed or agitated. Furthermore dental disease can become so invasive and infectious that a systemic life threatening infection can arise. By carefully looking in your pet’s mouth, you can identify the buildup of plaque, tartar and reddened or bleeding gums-any of which is abnormal. Now that dental disease has been defined, I will describe the treatment and identify methods of preventative care.

If periodontal disease has already been established, you should take your pet into a veterinarian for consultation on a dental cleaning. If you are unsure it is better to have your veterinarian assess your pet’s dental status and allow him/her to decide the intensity of treatment. A dental cleaning should be performed while the animal is completely under anesthesia (this is the safest method for your pet) . The teeth will be scaled and polished. Often antibiotics will be needed to prevent the spread of infection of the gums after a procedure. It is also common to have a tooth extracted because of a fracture or general decay. Sometimes more extensive dental work will need to be performed due to excessive chewing, trauma and fractures - in some cases salvage procedures such as root canals can be performed by veterinarians with more intense training.

Once a dental cleaning has been performed or if your pet has no dental disease and you wish to implement preventative measures, there are several approaches that can be taken. The first and most obvious method is brushing your dog’s teeth twice daily. This is by far the most effective method of decreasing tartar and plaque buildup. There are many toothbrushes designed for pets as well as flavored toothpastes especially formulated for animals (do not use toothpaste made for humans). When you start to brush your dog’s teeth it is important to make it fun, quick 60seconds) and gentle. It is best to have a veterinarian demonstrate this procedure at your annual exam. Another method of preventing dental disease is by using a diet designed for dental care. There are several diets on the market that are formulated to decrease tartar buildup while they eat. Two example diets are oral care (maintenance diet) and Prescription diet T/d(lower calorie) made by science diet which can be used as their daily diet. Finally there are many chew toys and rawhides designs to aid in the care of teeth (ie: Dental kongs, CET chews, etc) It is important to note that not all raw hides and bones are good for dogs - you should consult with your veterinarian before using them. (Some bones/ rawhides can cause severe intestinal problems, pancreatitis or even dental fractures). Although it may not be possible to utilize all these preventative measures, any combination of these methods will help. These techniques will decrease the progression of dental disease, but as we do, dental cleanings will still be needed.

Before starting a dental care protocol, you should always consult your veterinarian for the proper program for your pet.

(Posted: March 8, 2004)