February is Dental Month

At the Animal Hospital of Waynesboro, our goal is to help your pet's mouth stay healthy and free of infection and pain.  Dental disease is extremely common in pets today. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more that 85% of dogs and cats five years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the most common cause of oral infection and tooth loss in pets.  It is also preventable.  It is believed that some infections of the kidney and possibly even the heart valves may originate from an infection in the mouth that spread through the pet’s bloodstream.   Common signs of dental disease are halitosis or bad breath; red, bleeding or swollen gums; brown or yellow staining and crusting on the teeth; decreased appetite; picking up and dropping food; and loose or missing teeth.

There are many causes of periodontal disease in pets. Each time your pet eats, a layer of saliva and food particles coat the teeth. This leads to bacterial growth and tartar buildup. The more often a pet eats, especially those that have food available all day long, the more tartar and bacterial growth accumulate. A common misconception is that feeding dry food will prevent tartar buildup. It is now known that dry food does not prevent or decrease tartar accumulation versus canned food. The type of food (especially table scraps), the frequency of eating, the chemistry of the individual pet’s mouth, and home dental care are the most important factors in how quickly periodontal disease affects your pet.

Once tartar and plaque have accumulated and resulted in gingivitis in a pet’s mouth, proper cleaning of the teeth is necessary. Antibiotics may suppress the infection but unless the tartar and plaque buildup is removed, the infection will quickly return.

If you are concerned about your pet’s teeth or if your pet has any of the signs listed above, discuss your pet’s dental health with one of the veterinarians or technicians at the Animal Hospital of Waynesboro.  He or she will perform an oral examination on your pet and discuss any steps that need to be taken. To prevent excessive tartar and plaque accumulation, feed your pet two or three meals each day. Special toothbrushes and flavored tooth paste are available for brushing your pet’s teeth at home. This should be done two or more times weekly. Lastly, special diets and treats are available for controlling tartar buildup.