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Gum Disease In Dogs and Cats

Normal Feline Gums

Normal Canine Gums

Normal Feline Gums

In these photos you see normal canine and feline gums. Notice that the gums are pink and glistening. There is no redness or recession of the tissue from the teeth.

85% of the pets over the age of 3 have some sort of dental disease.

Gum disease (Gingivitis) Gum disease starts with the build up of plaque, which is a biofilm composed of bacteria. Once mineralized by calcium salts from saliva it becomes tartar (plaque). As plaque and tartar accumulate on and around the teeth it begins to irritate and then infect the gums, resulting in gingivitis or inflammation of the gums. Gingivitis is a reversible disease in it early states. Notice in the picture above on the left show gums which are slightly red ( this denotes inflammation of the tissue) and slightly swollen. The picture on the left is more advanced gingivitis. Notice that the tartar is creeping under the gum line. Peridontal disease, described below in the next section maybe present here in its early stages.

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Peridontitis

Peridontitis is cause by inflammation of the supporting structures of the tooth. It starts with the break down of the gum fibers, which attach to the tooth surface. A sulcus or periodontal pocket forms. Infection deeper into these tissues can extend into the underlying bone surrounding the teeth. Peridontitis is an irreversible disease and it should be the goal of dental care to prevent this situation. Once established, treatments can slow the progression of this problem but will not be cured. Multiple cleaning a year are required.

Grades of periodontal disease

Clinical Signs Bad Breath Swelling and redness of the gum tissues around the teeth Increased Salivation Difficulty eating

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*It should be noted, that more often times than not, owners do not recognize many of these signs. Dogs and especially cats are masters of masking signs of disease. Effects If the roots of the tooth become affected tooth loss may occur. Bacteria can gain entrance into the blood stream (bacteremia) damaging other internal organs.

Management Obviously prevention is the key to dental health. Keeping the dental surfaces cleaned of dental tartar. Daily brushing with specially designed pet tooth paste (do not use human toothpaste), Chew toys, dental diets, regular exams and teeth cleanings by your veterinarian are the corner stone of dental care. Professional Veterinary Dental Treatments

This starts with a dental exam. Best done under general anesthesia. 1. Measuring the periodontal pocket. 2. Dental X-rays

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Dental Cleaning or Dental Prophylaxis. Specialized instruments and techniques are utilized to remove tartar for the surface of the teeth and under the gums into the periodontal pocket. It is important to polish the enamel otherwise tartar reattaches more quickly. Application of an Oravet seal. This is a polymer sealed onto the teeth which functions to decrease adherence of tartar.

Products Approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council

http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm

Veterinary Dental Procedures vs. Pet procedures without sedation

Veterinary Dental Prophylaxis In general dental veterinary dental procedures require a general anesthetic. This enables a thorough dental exam and cleaning with specialized dental equipment. Many times tartar must be removed from under the gums. This can not be done safely without an anesthetic. A comprehensive oral exam is not possible without anesthesia

Pet Dental Procedures without anesthetic is just surface cosmetics. Owners are reluctant to do dental procedures under anesthetics and have gravitated to anesthetic free dental protocols. This is a trend towards unlicensed and unsupervised individuals Non-professional dental scaling does not go below The gum line resulting in a cosmetic only treatment. According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Dental cleanings that are done without an anesthetic will make your pets teeth prettier, but not healthier. American Veterinary Dental College anyone providing dental services other than a licensed veterinarian, or a supervised and trained veterinary technician, is practicing veterinary medicine without a license and is subject to criminal charges. These procedures do more harm than good. They cause micro-etching of the enamel creating a surface on which tartar can reoccur more readily. These pets then need more frequent procedures.

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California Veterinary Medical Board Issue Pdf on Anesthesia Free Dental Cleaning. http://www.vmb.ca.gov/about_us/agenda_items/vmbagenda_20110418_102.pdf

Other Resources
How to brush your dogs teeth http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/vetec/data/articlestandard//vetec/072011/707130/a rticle.pdf Dental Disease Client Handout: Grading disease http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/firstline/data/articlestandard//firstline/462006/385895/ article.pdf