What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is inflammation or infection of the tissues
surrounding the tooth. Accumulation of tartar on the teeth
contribute to gum recession around the base of the tooth. Infection
soon follows and the gums recede, exposing sensitive unprotected
tooth surfaces. Untreated infection then spreads into the tooth
socket and ultimately the tooth loosens and is lost.
What is tartar and can it be prevented?
There are thousands of bacteria that lie in the mouth. Many of
these bacteria will breed on the surfaces of the tooth and form an
invisible layer called plaque. Some of this is removed naturally by
the dog’s tongue and chewing habits. When the plaque remains on
the tooth, the plaque thickens, becomes mineralized and is then
visible as tartar. The tartar presses on the gums, which recede,
causing inflammation and infection called gingivitis. The gums
continue to recede until the tooth socket is infected and the tooth
is lost.
What is involved with a dental cleaning for my pet?
The goal of dental scaling and polishing is to remove the tartar and
invisible plaque. We will perform pre-anesthetic blood testing to
ensure that kidney and liver functions are satisfactory for
anesthesia if the client elects this option. Sometimes antibiotic
treatment is instituted before a full dental surgery is performed.
Tooth scaling will be performed using an ultrasonic cleaning scaler
to remove tartar both above and below the gum line. The teeth are
then polished in order to help prevent subsequent plaque build-up.
It may be necessary to carry out other procedures such as
extractions at the same time.
Can I use human toothpaste?
No. Human toothpaste should not be used in pets. These are
foaming products and are not meant to be swallowed. Additionally,
many types of human toothpaste contain sodium, which may
cause serious problems in some pets. Using toothpaste for pets
such as CET toothpaste is safe for your pet and may be purchased
at the Omro Animal Hospital which comes in different flavors.