Dental disease is really common in our pets, with 87% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of 3 being affected. As well as causing mouth pain and early tooth loss, the bacteria in a diseased mouth can also cause havoc in the rest of the body, leading to heart, liver and kidney problems.
Daily tooth brushing is by far the best way to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy, and it’s not as hard as you might think! Most pets can be trained to accept tooth brushing using positive reinforcement, particularly if you start when they are young.
Once gingivitis and periodontal disease have set in, a full clean of the teeth and under the gum line, is needed to get back on track. This will involve a general anaesthetic as a thorough scale like this is uncomfortable for your pet, and they will not be willing to sit still with their mouth open for it!
This is the only stage of periodontal disease where there is a chance of reversing the process completely by a dental scale or regular brushing. Plaque leads to inflammation of the gum, but there is no loss of attachment between gum and tooth.
At this stage, a small pocket forms between tooth and gum, where bacteria and plaque can sit, causing the loss of attachment between tooth and gum.
The pockets deepen and the gums may even start to recede. Up to 50% of the attachment of the tooth to the gum has been lost, and the bone which holds the teeth in place is also receding.
A lot of the bone and gum has receded by this point and the teeth may be unstable. There is a lot of inflammation in the mouth with a high level of bacteria.
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