I used to think when my Vet recommended teeth cleaning for my dog it was just a way to get more money out of me. How wrong I was. Only recently have most of us heard of dentistry for dogs which in many cases means the dog may already have some gum disease. Current studies have shown that more than 80% percent of dogs have some stage of periodontal disease by age 3.
If a problem is detected, treatment will depend on it’s stage, though initially all treatment requires and exam and x-rays to determine the presence (or absence) of disease.
The first stage of gum disease in dogs shows a mild redness or inflammation of the gums, without periodontal pockets between the gum and tooth. For this stage a cleaning above and below the gum line is the only treatment necessary.
The second stage occurs once there are periodontal pockets between the gum and tooth, but before any major bone involvement. Here the gum tissue and tooth root are cleaned, rinsed, and treated with a gel to help reattach the gum to the tooth root.
The third stage in dogs is when periodontal pockets around the teeth go deeper than 5 millimeters, which means there is bone loss. Depending upon the anatomy of the bone loss, many times we can expose the defect by opening a gum flap and cleaning out the diseased tissue around the tooth root and bone, then there are special therapies to grow new tissue and bone.
The fourth stage is when bone loss is over 50%, and tooth extraction is the only treatment.
In dogs gum disease usually doesn’t show outward signs and symptoms. But when it advances, gum disease can devastate your dog’s mouth, causing chronic pain, eroded gums, missing teeth, and bone loss. There is hope though because gum disease in a dog can be prevented or at least slowed down.
Just like in people dogs get gum disease from bacteria. Almost immediately after an animal eats, bacteria, along with food, saliva, and other particles, begin forming a sticky film called plaque over the teeth.
Bacteria in plaque does a lot of things. One of which, like in people causes our immune system to recognize it as foreign.
When the body of your dog senses a foreign invader, it calls the white blood cells to attack. In turn, the bacteria in plaque tells the white blood cells to release enzymes to break down the gum tissue. This battle leads to inflamed gums, destroyed tissue, and loss of bone which results in tooth loss.
Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, happens five times more often in dogs than people. The reason being is that dogs have a more alkaline mouth than humans, which promotes plaque formation. Also, most pets don’t have their teeth brushed every day, giving plaque-forming bacteria what they need to multiply.
Periodontal disease can cause even more severe problems than tooth pain, dogs with unchecked gum inflammation may be at a higher risk for heart, kidney, and liver disease.
The worst complication of all now becoming more common is pathologic jaw fracture. Over time, untreated gum disease can destroy bone to such an extent that even a little pressure will fracture a small dog’s weakened jaw.
So what are some preventive measures we can take to help prevent gum disease in dogs. Just like people brush your pets’ teeth twice a day. When bacteria and their by-products are minimized, a normal body will provide a suitable defense to maintain a healthy mouth.
With the help of your Vet. follow these four steps to prevent or slow painful gum disease in your dog.
Take your dog in for regular oral exams and cleanings. Oral exams with dental x-rays done under general anesthesia is the only way to get a full analysis of what’s happening in your dog’s teeth and below the gum line.
Brush your dog’s teeth every day. This may seem very hard to do but it doesn’t have to be. With a lot of patience and training your dog will learn to accept teeth brushing and later even gum brushing. Even senior dog’s can be taught to let you brush their teeth, again be plenty patient.
Feed your dog quality dog food. Some dogs will benefit from “dental diets” that help scrub their teeth as they chew, or from foods that have additives that prevent plaque from hardening. Your Vet can help with a diet that’s right for your dog.
Offer safe toys and treats for daily chewing. Chewing every day on tooth-friendly goodies is another way to help prevent gum disease in dogs. Find treats and toys that aren’t hard, like: rubber balls, thin rawhide strips that bend, as well as rubbery toys in which you can hide treats. A word of caution though, beware that hard rawhide can cause gastrointestinal problems if your dog swallows a large piece.
To prevent fractures and broken teeth, avoid hard treats of any kind, such as animal bones (raw or cooked), nylon bones, or cow and pig hooves.