Did You Know?

We’d like to tell you about a recent patient that came to us for a dental cleaning. Her name is “Scarlett” and she’s a very beautiful, well mannered ten year old cat. Her bloodwork results came back with good news:  her kidneys and liver were healthy and in great shape to handle the anesthesia.  Her dental cleaning to remove tartar above and below the gums went really well too. It was an uneventful, boring procedure by all accounts. Her teeth looked to be in great shape.  Good news for “Scarlett.”

However, the plot thickened once we finished taking the full mouth dental radiographs. We take x-rays just like your human dentist does. Teeth are like the tips of icebergs. We use x-rays to see below the gum line so we can get the full picture – the overall health of the tooth, root, and jawbone. In “Scarlett’s” case, we discovered a serious problem below the gum line.  Two of her teeth had resorptive lesions. A resorptive lesion is a situation where the tooth may look healthy from the outside; however, it is actually deteriorating on the inside. It can be painful. These are fairly common problems we discover all too often each week when we perform dental cleanings in dogs and cats.  We’re not sure why this was happening to “Scarlett.” We were just thankful to catch this problem while she was under anesthesia. The treatment for this condition is to extract the tooth. So, we did just that. We made sure to give her an injection to block any pain or discomfort during the procedure. We then sent her home with some pain medications for the next few days so she could recover pain free – just how we like it. “Scarlett” is happier and we’re happy too.

By age 3 years, 70% of adult pets have developed the early stages of gingivitis and/or periodontal disease.

To treat gingivitis and slow or stop the progression of periodontal disease, here’s what you need to do:

1. Bring your pet in each year for an annual exam.  Your veterinarian will check the health of your pet’s mouth and teeth and let you know if a dental cleaning is needed.
2. If we recommend a cleaning, try to schedule it as soon as possible.  These can be expensive procedures and we certainly understand you may need to make some financial preparations first.  Ask us about our 3 month or 6 month payment plans.
3. Follow a dental home care program like offering dental chews and treats on a regular basis, rinsing your pet’s mouth with a dental wash, and brushing your pet’s teeth.  Ask us for details.

Benefits for keeping your pet’s mouth and teeth healthy:

• They’ll live longer – untreated periodontal disease sends bacteria to the heart and kidneys, which ultimately leads to more serious problems.
• They’ll have fresh breath for nice smelling kisses – if you smell bad breath, there’s a good chance an infection is already present in the mouth.
• They won’t be in any pain or discomfort from loose teeth or infected gums – some signs to look for: red, inflamed gums, difficulty eating, and losing weight.
• You’ll save money – it’s not unusual for a dog or cat to need a dental cleaning as early as 3 to 4 years of age. In most cases they’ll need to have their teeth cleaned every one to two years for the rest of their life.   If your pet develops periodontal disease (infection, gum loss, bone loss, & loose teeth), the cost for dental x-rays, extractions, & oral surgery is much more expensive. This added cost is several hundred dollars.

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