Over 85% of dogs and cats over 4 years old have some form of periodontal (dental) disease. Dental disease causes bad breath (halitosis) and pain; it is also a source of infection and can make your pet seriously ill.
Control of dental disease requires a two-pronged approach. Firstly; in-clinic care and secondly at-home care. This article focuses on what you can do at home. There are many different methods to keep your pet's "pearly white" teeth and ideally these should be started while they are puppies and kittens.
For adult cats and dogs with existing dental disease, a dental treatment including ultrasonic scaling and polishing under general anaesthetic is necessary to get their mouth back into top condition. This will allow us to start prevention with a clean mouth and hoping to prevent, or slow down dental disease developing again in the future.
A dental treatment includes a full dental examination along with dental charting, scaling of the teeth, both ultrasonically and by hand. We complete the treatment by giving the teeth a polish to reduce plaque adherence. If necessary teeth are extracted during a dental treatment, however our objective is always to save as many teeth as we can. In some cases x-rays are necessary.
All adult dogs and cats should have an annual dental clean in addition to home care. The aim of home care is to make sure the minimal amount of plaque and tartar has built up over the course of the year.
After having your pet’s dental treatment, home care is important to keep the mouth clean for as long as possible. Home care does not replace the need for an annual scale and polish but is designed to minimise the level of disease build up over the course of the year. Most home care options help keep the visible part of the tooth (the crown) clean but there can be a lot of hidden disease under the gum line which is only detectable during a cleaning procedure under anaesthetic and on many occasions with the use of x-rays.
The following are some of home care options available that we recommend. The more of these options you do, the better the result will be!
USING A TOOTHBRUSH
Using your fingers gently lift the upper lips upwards. Place the toothbrush on the teeth in a 45 degree angle, and gently brush. Pay attention to the canines.
The toothbrush bristles should be placed at the gum margin where the teeth and gums meet at a 45 degree angle. The movement should be in an oval pattern. Be sure to gently brush the area around the base of the tooth as well as into the space between the teeth.
GREENIES
Greenies are specially formulated chews for both dogs & cats with proven efficacy to reduce plaque & tartar. They also come in different sizes for dogs.
DENTAL DIETS
Hills T/D & Royal Canin Dental are dry foods available for both cats and dogs. They are designed to keep pets teeth clean, while still providing them with a complete balanced diet. Each piece of kibble is larger than usual, specifically designed to encourage and stimulate chewing. It also has a special fibre matrix within each biscuit which aids in the breakdown of plaque. For best results these dental diets needs to be fed daily, it is a very palatable food, but if your pet is too fussy to enjoy it there is a money back guarantee. Hills T/D diet & Royal Canin Dental diets are only available at veterinary clinics.