Healthy Gums (Gingivae)

• Coral pink (except for natural pigmentation)
• Firm tissue with close conformity with tooth
• No bleeding on chewing or brushing
• Gingival attachment is to the enamel at the base of the crown
• Normal sulcus depth (dip between gum and tooth) is up to 3mm in the dog and less than 1mm in the cat

Homecare

• This is essential in order to achieve long term results
• The earlier you start the better
• Daily Brushing achieves the best results
• Use of dog/cat toothpaste
• Specially formulated diets to clean teeth and inhibit plaque & tartar build-up

Professional Treatment:

This is necessary for any of the following* -

• Gingivitis (good homecare can help mild cases)
• Mild Periodontitis
• Moderate Periodontitis
• Advanced Periodontitis
• Feline Odontoclastic lesions (neck lesions)
• Fractured teeth
• Dental Abscess

*see pictures of these conditions below

Professional dental treatment for dogs, cats (& rabbits too) must be performed under general anaesthesia -

• Pets are admitted early in the morning with an empty stomach
• The pet may already be receiving antibiotics to reduce bacteria in the mouth and reduce the risk of bacteraemia (bacteria in the bloodstream) which may lead to kidney, liver or heart problems
• Pets are checked by a vet and pre-anaeasthetic blood tests may be performed in our laboratory if required
• A sedative and an analgesic are injected to reduce anxiety and to assist smooth pain-free recovery
• Anaesthesia is induced using intravenous Propofol - a highly regarded anaesthetic with a fast recovery time
• A tube is placed in the trachea (windpipe) to give oxygen and anaesthetic gases and prevent any fluids entering the lungs
• Anaesthesia is maintained using oxygen and Isoflurane - one of the latest anaesthetics with a short recovery period
• Patients are monitored continuously by the nursing team and a new Pulse Oximeter records the heart rate and blood oxygen levels to reduce risks
• The patient recovers in the hospital ward with nursing staff in attendance

Routine Dental Prophyllaxis

• An initial examination of the mouth to record any problems and missing teeth is performed
• Teeth are de-scaled using our advanced dental machine to remove calculus (tartar) and plaque above and below the gum
• Polishing is done using slow speed and paste to make the enamel smooth
• Diseased, fractured or loose teeth are extracted using precision dental instruments
• Occasionally surgical intervention is necessary
• X-rays may be taken to assess root damage
• Teeth are checked for any remaining plaque using a disclosing stain

Further treatments which may be required

• Surgical removal of gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth and thickening of gum tissue)
• Periodontal pocket filling where there is gum separation around the tooth but the tooth is not loose - encouraging the gum to heal and stabilise the tooth.
• Referral to a dental specialist for an orthodontic problem

After care

• Patients are discharged with advice on homecare and given any necessary medication
• We genarally re-examine the animal after 1-2 weeks
• To encourage and monitor homecare we offer a free 6 month dental check-up

Please Note that the benefits achieved by professional treatments will be short lived if effective Homecare is not continued.

Ask at the surgery about Virbac Dental Health products and also dental care diets

Plaque - the cause of the problem

• Soft sticky paste-like appearance
• Only clearly visible when stained with discloser
• Consists of bacteria in a matrix with other components (food, dead cells)
• Plaque forms in hours but becomes more harmful as it matures
• Plaque builds on all surfaces in the mouth but more so on the teeth as they have a static surface
• Plaque bacteria produce products (volatile sulphides) which cause bad breath (halitosis)
• Plaque is the cause of gingivitis and periodontitis
• Plaque is the precursor of tartar (calculus)
• Tartar always has plaque on and in its surface

Gingivitis

• Inflammation of the gingivae (gum margins) - red and swollen (oedematous)
• Plaque on teeth causes tissue irritation
• Mild halitosis (bad breath)
• Some bleeding on chewing or brushing
• No change in gum attachment or bone support
• Completely reversible with good Homecare - daily brushing

Mild Periodontitis

• Gingivitis and also inflammation of the periodontal ligament caused by plaque (+/- tartar)
• Migration of gingival attachment leading to periodontal pocket formation
• Maximum pocket depths measure 3 to 4mm in the dog and 1mm in the cat
• Loss of some bone at the top of the socket (up to 25% of root attachment)
• Breakdown of tooth support is irreversible
• Disease progression may be halted by a combination of adequate dental Homecare with professional periodontal treatment

Moderate Periodontitis

• Deeper periodontal pockets (up to 6mm in the dog and 2mm in the cat)
• Moderate loss of gum attachment and bone support (25-50%)
• Generally more plaque and tartar present on the teeth with significant halitosis
• Often marked gingivitis with noticeable bleeding on chewing or brushing
• Possibly some tooth mobility
• Disease progression can be significantly slowed by veterinary therapy and continuous Homecare so that teeth are kept longer

Advanced Periodontitis

• Deep periodontal pockets (over 6mm in the dog and 2mm in the cat)
• Usually severe gingivitis
• High levels of plaque and tartar with severe halitosis
• Advanced loss of bone support and gum attachment (with over 50% bone support loss)
• Often much tooth mobility
• High levels of subgingival infection and possibly pus exuding from gums (pyorrhoea)
• Extraction or eventual loss of the tooth is the only outcome

Bacteria associated with moderate or advanced periodontal disease may damage the kidneys, liver and heart due to bacteraemia (bacteria in the bloodstream)