"Periodontal Disease Can Shorten Your Dog's Life"
Periodontal Disease - Caring For Your Dog's Teeth and Gums
The affects of Periodontal Disease can be painful for your dog.
As a smart human, you do everything within your power to retain your teeth as long as possible. You brush, floss and visit the dentist regularly, use the best products for decay and cavity prevention, and watch for any problems that indicate changes in your dental health.
Recently, medical studies indicated that poor dental care can lead to heart disease and other illnesses in people, and that good dental care might be one of the easiest ways to prevent some illnesses – as well as helping you retain your teeth into old age.
Your dog may not be as lucky unless you are following a good routine for his or her dental care. As well as heading off tooth loss and bad breath, you could be keeping your animal from getting deathly ill and suffering dramatic bone loss.
You already know that your dog’s teeth should be regularly brushed and inspected by your veterinarian. Routine cleanings are no different than your own since they focus on removing any bacteria and plaque that could cause problems. But, did you know that dogs can also suffer from gingivitis and periodontal disease just like humans? They can – and when they do the results can be miserable. You could even be shortening your dog’s life span without proper care.
Periodontal comes from two Greek source words that mean “around the tooth”. For it to develop, food particles and bacteria collect along the gum line, forming plaque. If the plaque is not removed, minerals in the animal’s saliva combine with the plaque to form tartar. This happens within 3 – 5 days after the plaque forms. When this irritates the gums, making them red, the result is gingivitis. As with humans, it creates bad breath as well as sore gums.
If the mineral deposits are not removed, they build up under the gums and – as they become larger – form pockets between the gums and the teeth allowing more bacterial growth. The damage – now called periodontal disease – is irreversible at this point. It is very painful, leads to loose teeth and infection and can ultimately cause bone loss or potentially fatal infection throughout the dog’s body.
There are a number of factors that affect the growth of periodontal disease. These include:
- Age and general health status. Older animals and those with other serious health problems are more susceptible to these problems.
- Diet and chewing behavior. A diet of hard kibbles can help in a small way to keep plaque from accumulating, and dogs that chew on toys, rawhide or bones (including those designed specifically for dental health) often have less formation.
- Breed, genetics and tooth alignment. Small breed dogs and those with crowded teeth are often at more risk of dental disease because they are less able to remove plaque naturally. Dogs that are “open-mouth breathers” often have tougher plaque because their mouths can be more dehydrated.
- Dogs that use their mouths to relieve skin conditions often are faced with hair or bacteria that sticks between teeth and can add to their dental health problems.
Below are some of the symptoms of periodontal disease. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from them, contact your vet immediately:
- Pus around the teeth or gums
- Frequent bad breath
- Bleeding gums
- Sensitivity around the mouth
- Inflamed or receding gums
- Loose or missing teeth
- Loss of appetite
- Frequent stomach or intestinal upsets
- Unusual drooling
- Difficulty chewing
- Irritability or a change in temperament
The veterinary treatments and procedures that are used to address dental issues vary with the level of the problem. These are not dissimilar to those used for humans.
For minor plaque and tartar build-up, routine cleaning and polishing will generally do the trick. Under anesthesia, the dog’s teeth are fully inspected by the vet and the build-up is removed both above and below the gum line using special tools. The teeth are then polished and, in some cases, fluoride is applied.
For cases where there is inflammation, bleeding, pus and other signs of serious problems including bone loss, the vet removes the build up and then checks for the level of damage using x-rays and probing. Then a course of action is determined. One or more of a range of surgical treatments may be done. All of these require special skill and training for the doctor and are far more difficult on your pet. They are also expensive because many vets do not perform the procedures.
The best way to deal with all of these dental problems is to avoid them entirely. Get your dog’s teeth checked regularly. Follow your vet’s recommendations for maintaining good dental health. If there are any problems, address them immediately to prevent further infection or life threatening conditions that could shorten your dog’s life.
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