Top Ten Ways to Keep Your Pet’s Teeth Healthy

Date: 

Thursday, March 1, 2012 - 11:45

Charleston, SC  (February 29, 2012)  February is National Pet Dental Month and the dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care.   In fact, the American Veterinary Dental Society reports that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age three.   Charleston Veterinary Referral Center’s dentistry team, Heather L. Duncan, DVM and Katherine E. Queck, DVM, Fellow, Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, share the top pet dental conditions, symptoms, treatments and the top ten ways to keep your pet’s teeth healthy.

In cats, stomatitis is a common condition.   Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous lining of any of the structures in the mouth, which may involve the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, throat, and roof or floor of the mouth.   It is caused by bacteria found in the pet’s mouth and is the body’s overreaction to bacteria.   Symptoms include increased drooling, mouth odor, crying out when yawning and tilting head while eating to try to find a more comfortable side to chew on.   In advanced cases, the treatment of choice is extraction of all the teeth.   Cats can continue a good quality of life even after tooth removal.

In dogs, fractured teeth from chewing on objects or cages make this a common condition.   CVRC’s dentistry team says many veterinarians opt to extract a fractured tooth, but there are other options.   Root canals are effective in treating a fractured tooth as well.   Similar to human patients, the installation of a titanium crown to preserve the tooth but prevent infection is appropriate.   Symptoms of a fractured tooth vary in dogs depending on which tooth they’ve fractured. Overall, symptoms to look for include bad mouth odor and chewing on one side of the mouth.

Dr. Duncan and Dr. Queck say you should make sure your family veterinarian performs an oral check as part of your regular exam schedule to check for conditions that may require a specialist. The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease may damage other organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys, or lead to other serious health problems.

The top ten steps to take at home to ensure your cats and dogs have healthy teeth include:

  1. Brush regularly and start when they are kittens and puppies, since brushing can be challenging as they get older. Brush once a day with special pet toothbrush with soft bristles and pet-friendly toothpaste. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) regulates and adds their seal to approved veterinary dental products (www.vohc.org). Look for these as you shop for your pet supplies.
  2. Make sure to use fluoride free toothpaste because fluoride is toxic to pets.
  3. Make the animal comfortable and approach from the side rather than in front.
  4. Start with just a few teeth and gradually increase the number of teeth cleaned each time until the whole mouth can be cleaned in a single session.
  5. Initially, the mouth does not need to be opened. It is mainly the surfaces of the teeth that face the inside of the cheek, along the gum line.
  6. When the animal is comfortable with having the cheek facing surfaces of all its teeth brushed, an attempt should be made to open the mouth and carefully brush the top and other surfaces of the teeth. If this is not accepted, there is every reason to continue with daily brushing of the outside surfaces. However, gingivitis will occur on the palatal and lingual surfaces if these are not brushed.
  7. Offer a reward at the end of the procedure (i.e. a game or a walk).
  8. Include tooth brushing as part of the daily grooming routine.
  9. Home care is more likely to be acceptable to an older pet if it is introduced as an extension of a pre-existing routine (i.e. evening meal, walk, grooming). The owner is also more likely to remember a consistent routine.
  10. Owners can sit small dogs and cats on their lap while brushing, at the same time cuddling them to reduce their apprehension; alternatively one person cuddles and restrains while the other administers the brushing.

If you feel your pet is in need of routine and preventative dental care, please visit your primary care veterinarian.

About Charleston Veterinary Referral Center:

Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (CVRC) is a specialty referral, emergency & critical care veterinary hospital which opened in March, 2011. The Center offers a cohesive team of veterinary professionals and staff that are dedicated to practicing the highest caliber of medicine and surgery available. CVRC believes that great care and service are intertwined. With a commitment to respect the integrity of the referral relationship with primary care veterinarians, doctors and staff at CVRC work tirelessly toward the goal of great communication. More information can be found at www.CharlestonVRC.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CharlestonVRC.