Welcome

The next time you give your favorite four legged friend a kiss, take time to smell the roses. But, if your pet's breath smells more fowl than floral, something needs to be done. But what? How can you take care of the problem, and more importantly, what can you do to prevent the progression of gum disease in your pet?

Pets' teeth and gums are similar to our own. Food material, bacteria, and saliva accumulate and adhere to the tooth surface, forming plaque. We brush our teeth daily to remove the plaque because if daily accumulation is not removed, harmful bacteria can build under the gum line, destroying the bone that surrounds our teeth.

There are four classifications of periodontal disease. Grades one and two are referred to as gingivitis. Here, the gums are red and swollen. You may also notice a disagreeable odor from your pet's mouth. Gingivitis is curable if treated early, with thorough teeth cleaning and polishing by a veterinarian. If not treated, periodontal disease occurs. In grade three periodontal disease, part of the tooth's supporting bone will be lost. Just as with people, during this stage, deep cleaning and periodontal surgery may be needed to save the tooth. Once grade four periodontal disease occurs, the tooth loosens due to complete destruction of the supporting bone.

In most cases, treatment of grade four disease involves extraction of teeth, to decrease the pain of eating with wobbly teeth. Dental pain is as real in pets as in humans, even though they may not tell you so.

What should be the first step if your pet's breath doesn't smell like roses? Have a veterinarian examine the mouth and make recommendations. Treatment often requires anesthesia, which may concern you. With current preoperative blood testing, improved anesthetics, patient monitoring and our new patient heating blankets, we take every step to make anesthesia a safe experience. We may also take dental x-rays to fully evaluate the teeth, roots, and supporting bone. Then, either the affected teeth will be cleaned, extracted, or surgery will be performed to save the teeth.

Once the immediate problem has been cared for, it's time to prevent further disease progression. Daily brushing, new easy to use sealants, and special diets for dental health are helpful. Prevention of periodontal disease will do more to lengthen your pet's life and make it an enjoyable one then most anything else -- so take a good whiff and get moving -- your pet will love you for it!!!

Thanks to Dr Jan Bellows, All Pets Dental Clinic, http://dentalvet.com for his help with this article