Dental Disease in Dogs

Part of every complete physical examination at the Animal Hospital at Thorndale includes what we call “flip the lip”. When you lift up your dog’s lips to see what lies beneath, you may be in for a big surprise. Dental disease is the most common and often overlooked problem in dogs. While cavities represent the most common dental disease of humans, dogs are more frequently bothered by tartar buildup on the teeth. Tartar accumulation leads to irritation of the gums around the base of the teeth, ultimately leading to exposure of the roots. Potential outcomes of this tooth root exposure include gum infections and tooth loss. If your dog’s kisses have a bad odor, it is time to see the dentist (a.k.a. our veterinarians).

It is important to understand that a bacterial infection in the mouth does not stay in the mouth. Peridontal disease and gingivitis are an open source for the bacteria to enter the blood stream. Just like humans with poor dental health, dogs also develop numerous other problems from the constant flooding of the blood stream with bacteria. Heart, kidney, and lung diseases are common sequels to bad oral health.

Contributing Factors

One of the main factors determining the amount of tartar buildup is the individual chemistry in the mouth. Some dogs need yearly cleanings; other dogs need a cleaning only once every few years.

Daily brushing can often remove plaque before it forms into hardened calculus on the teeth. Once tartar forms, a professional cleaning is necessary.

Diet plays more of a minor role in development of tartar accumulation than most people think. Because dry food is not as sticky as canned food, it does not adhere to the teeth as much and thus, does not cause tartar buildup as rapidly. However, eating dry food does not remove tartar from the teeth.

There are specific prescription diets, containing a pumice type abrasive that can “brush” the dogs teeth as is eats. These diets are only helpful in dogs that actually chew their foods.

Causes/Transmission

Many different disorders can lead to dental disease in the dog. In general, the veterinarian will try to determine whether the problem is limited to the oral cavity (primary dental disease) or has developed as a consequence of another disease (secondary dental disease).

Clinical Signs

In some cases, owners are unaware that their dog has dental disease. The problem may be identified with a routine physical examination or during investigation of another problem.

In other situations, the probability of dental disease is apparent to the owner. The dog may have very bad breath (halitosis), difficulty eating, drooling, or changes in temperament. Owners may notice the calculus on the dogs teeth. An abscess in a tooth root may actually rupture as a draining tract on the face of the dogs. One of the most common signs of an upper premolar root abscess is a swelling below the eye on the dog’s cheek.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of dental disease is usually very straightforward. A visual examination of the oral cavity reveals tartar, periodontal disease and gingivitis. However, in most cases, the true extent of the disease cannot be determined until the dog is under anesthesia. This facilitates a more complete examination of the oral cavity.

Treatment

Proper cleaning of the teeth requires complete cooperation of the patient so that plaque and tartar can be removed properly. Anesthesia is required to thoroughly clean the teeth. Many owners have a high degree of anxiety related to general anesthesia for their dogs. While there is always a degree of risk with any anesthetic, be aware that delaying proper dental care may ultimately compromise the dog’s health.

To minimize risk, our hospital uses modern anesthetics that are deemed safe even for older dogs. Also, depending on your dog’s age and general health status, blood may be drawn prior to anesthesia to evaluate blood cell counts and blood chemistries. It is often recommend to delay the dental cleaning for a few weeks if underlying problems are detected, so that they may be addressed and corrected prior to anesthesia.

There are four basic steps in the cleaning process that will be used on your dog:

1. Scaling removes the tartar above and below the gum line. This is done with hand instruments and ultrasonic cleaning equipment. The tartar that is under the gums must be removed for a dental cleaning to be complete.
2. Polishing smooths the surface of the teeth, making them resistant to additional plaque formation.
3. Flushing removes dislodged tartar from the teeth and helps to remove the bacteria that accompany tartar.
4. Fluoride Coating decreases teeth sensitivity, strengthens enamel, and decreases the rate of future plaque formation. Oravet gel may be applied to help prevent further plaque build up.

Prior to removing any teeth, we will discuss with you the reasons for the extraction and what to expect post operatively. Oral x-rays may help further define the health of the teeth.

Prognosis

In the early stages of dental disease, the problems may be reversible. At some point, however, even cleaning cannot restore the mouth to normal. This is not a reason to avoid cleaning!

The prognosis is worsened if tartar is left on the teeth indefinitely. Some of the consequences of delayed dental care are:

• The tartar will mechanically push the gums away from the roots of the teeth. This allows the teeth to loosen in their sockets and infection to enter the root socket. The teeth will loosen and fall out or have to be extracted.
• Infection will accumulate in the mouth, resulting in gingivitis (gums), tonsillitis, and pharyngitis (sore throat). Although antibiotics may temporarily suppress the infection, if the tartar is not removed from the teeth, infection will return quickly.
• Infection within the mouth will be picked up by the blood stream and carried to other parts of the body. Kidney and heart infections frequently begin in the mouth.

Prevention

Several preventive measures can be recommended to aid in oral hygiene for the dog.

1. Seek regular veterinary care and have the teeth cleaned when advised.
2. Try to maintain home dental care with brushing the teeth. Special toothbrushes and flavored toothpastes are available. We will be happy to show you how to do this and to recommend a schedule.
3. A tartar control diet is available through our clinic. It can be used as a maintenance diet or as a treat. It will not clean the teeth but will prolong the interval between professional cleanings (under anesthesia).
4. Application of Oravet gel weekly at home can also help prevent the build up of plaque.
5. Chews with abrasive or enzymatic activity can help.

If we are planning to clean your dog’s teeth, please follow these recommendations:

In order for us to clean your dog’s teeth, we ask that you schedule the procedure a few days in advance. It will be necessary to withhold food after 6 PM the night before; please do not remove the water until the morning. Your dog should be admitted to the hospital early morning and will generally be ready for discharge in the late afternoon. It will need to stay indoors that evening to ensure that no accidents (falls, etc.) occur until complete recovery from anesthesia. It should be fed and watered lightly that evening and returned to normal feeding the next morning, at which time it should be completely recovered from the anesthetic.