Dental Awareness

Dental Awareness

By Dr. Karen Roach

Our pets are part of our family!  We love them, feed them, provide fresh water, keep them warm and take care of all their needs, even sometimes before our very own!  In return, they are there for us, unconditionally.  Current vaccines, parasite preventative medications and pet friendly activities will help keep them healthy and long-lived.   However, there is one aspect of care that is often ignored…dental health. 

Most pets will suffer from some form of dental disease during their lifetime.  You don’t have to let this happen to your pet though!

Mild Gingivitis

Every pet owner should know some terminology concerning dental disease.  After all, the same forms of dental disease affect people as well.  The earliest form of dental disease is gingivitis.  This is an inflammation of the gums, or gingiva, adjacent to the teeth.  Gingivitis is caused by bacteria living in the plaque and tartar film along the gumline.  Gingivitis can occur anywhere in the mouth but it is most common on the outside surfaces over the upper teeth in the front and the back of the mouth.  Gingivitis first appears as mild redness along the gumline.  The gums can then become very red, swollen and even start bleeding.  If left untreated, this form of dental disease progresses to periodontal disease.

Advanced Stage of Periodontal Disease

 Periodontal disease occurs when bacterial infection of the soft tissues surrounding the tooth starts to involve the bone and attachments of the tooth.  Severe gingivitis that progresses to periodontal disease is irreversible.  Advancement of the disease can be slowed by dental cleaning and antibiotic therapy but the disease never really goes away.  That is why it is so important to prevent this stage of dental disease.  Periodontal disease leads to root exposure and sensitivity or pain (not just during chewing) and tooth loss eventually.  Also, chronic infection of the gums can allow bacteria to pass through to the bloodstream and then to the organs of the body, leading to disease there as well. 

Another important form of dental disease seen in pets is tooth fracture.  Dogs bite down on objects of all kinds with tremendous force.  Items, such as real bones (including knuckles), antlers, cow hooves, hard plastic toys, sticks and sometimes ice cubes are common causes of fractures of the largest chewing teeth in the back of the mouth.  Avoid these items as much as possible.  Opt instead for Veterinary Oral Health Council Approved dental chews. 

Cats more often break the fang teeth, called canine teeth, during falls or hunting.  If the pulp canal (the live center of the tooth that contains the nerve and blood supply) is compromised by the fracture, the tooth is lost.  It will need to be extracted or have a root canal to treat pain and infection.  More often, extraction is advisable since a tooth that has had a root canal eventually becomes more brittle and easily broken again.

In puppies and kittens, malocclusion can occur.  This is when the teeth do not line up correctly.  This can cause painful sores inside the mouth or the lips and lead to permanent damage of emerging adult teeth. 

All puppies and kittens have “baby teeth” called deciduous teeth until about 6 months of age.  Some puppies, especially smaller breeds and rarely kittens, can retain deciduous teeth inappropriately.  This is easily treated with extraction of the baby teeth, usually when they are under anesthetic during spaying or neutering.

Does your pet need dental care or even a professional dental cleaning?  Lift up your pet’s lips.  Are the teeth shiny and white or covered with a yellow film or hard tartar?  Is your pet’s breath pleasant or not?  Review your pet’s last veterinary health report card.  Follow your veterinarian’s advice!  Remember, the goal is to prevent disease in the mouth and avoid periodontal disease.  If a dental cleaning is recommended, do not wait.  Do not let a fear of anesthesia prevent you from caring for your pet’s teeth either.  The anesthetics and monitoring equipment used today are very safe and veterinary teams are often trained in identifying trends in vital signs so that they can prevent adverse events.  Also, it takes less time under anesthesia to clean and treat teeth that are not in a state of advanced gingivitis or periodontal disease.

Professional cleaning is the best way to take care of your pet’s teeth when your veterinarian thinks it is time to do so.  You can help at home too.  There are many products available for caring for your pet’s teeth at home.  The very best is to teach your pet to sit for brushing.  Our recommendation is to use a human toddler soft toothbrush.  Even the handle is soft so you cannot hurt your pet with it.  Use a flavored pet toothpaste or even just a tiny bit of baking soda mixed with water.  (Human toothpastes have more fluoride content than a pet should have.)  Focus on the outside surfaces of the teeth along the gumlines.   Do not try to pry your pet’s mouth open, just pull the lips back.


It is best to brush as often as possible, even daily.  This prevents the soft plaque film from hardening into tartar.  Tartar cannot be brushed away.  Give a small treat reward afterward.  Start with just touching the teeth and work up to brushing.  Even adult dogs can learn to sit for this!  Hills Pet Nutrition makes a prescription diet for helping to clean pets’ teeth while eating called t/d®.


Your veterinarian should have a variety of other options for your pet.  Try to use Veterinary Oral Health Council Approved products.

Go ahead and sit down with your pet.  Lift up the lips.  What do you see?  Now that you are dental-aware, you will know what to do!

Dental Special Month!

            From now through February 28^th, Noah’s Animal Hospitals are featuring our annual Dental Special Month! (OK, it’s longer than 1 month, but we are the generous type!)  If your pet receives a dental cleaning during our special, he or she will go home with a FREE bag of Hill’s Prescription diet t/d OR Hill’s Healthy Advantage food! Other promotional deals may be available during this time.  Call your Noah’s Animal Hospital today to schedule an appointment!