How often do we think of checking out our pets' mouths?
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This month Petfocus Vetcare is celebrating National Pet Dental Awareness month.
The aim of Pet Dental Month is to educate pet owners about the benefits of annual dental health checks and regular tooth brushing for older pets.
Surprisingly, around 80 per cent of our pets over the age of three years suffer from dental disease.
You may notice your pet has bad breath, struggles to eat, or has inflamed gums.
Unfortunately, in many pets though, dental disease goes undetected until severe disease has developed.
Dental challenges for your pet can range from:
- mild tartar build-up to severe gum recession
- tooth root exposure
- root abscessation
- the potential for bacteria to enter the bloodstream
Dental disease starts with bacteria laden plaque building up on the surface of teeth.
This plaque takes approximately 24 hours to become hardened tartar. If the teeth are not regularly cleaned, tartar quickly builds up.
The bacteria that survive in this mess of plaque and tartar cause bad breath and gingivitis (inflamed gums).
The gums begin to recede away from the tartar.
If the tartar is not removed and this process is allowed to continue, tooth root exposure develops, the teeth become rotten and extractions are indicated.
Dental challenges for your pet can range from mild tartar build-up, to severe gum recession, tooth root exposure, root abscessation and the potential for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
As with all diseases, prevention is better than a cure.
The foundation for prevention in most households is a suitable diet.
Daily mechanical abrasion helps remove soft plaque before it becomes hard tartar.
There are a number of ways to achieve this daily cleaning including:
- brushing,
- dental chews
- enzyme based mouthwashes or food additives.
Often the best outcomes are achieved by simply feeding a dental diet and using dental wipes as often as possible.
There are a number of dental diets on the market today.
Unlike your standard dry food, the size, shape and matrix of the kibble are designed to maximise contact with the tooth from the crown to the gums, helping to remove plaque and tartar.
If your pet is prone to dental disease, gets smelly breath or eats a diet that is predominantly made up of soft or wet food, a six monthly dental check-up with your local veterinarian is highly recommended.
This August is dental month at Petfocus Vetcare, so pop in to see us for your pet's complimentary dental assessment to help keep them healthy, happy and smiling.
Contact your family vet clinic for more information on this or other pet-related health issues.
