Dental Care in the Canine

Dental Care

The growth pattern and structure of our teeth are very similar to those of our dogs. Soon after birth a full set of temporary or deciduous teeth are produced in the same way as children have milk teeth. Owners often describe them as 'sharp needles' and their shape differs from the permanent teeth which grow through to replace them between the ages of four and six months.

The initial tooth problems that veterinarians are presented with are often related to the malpositioning of the temporary teeth and their failure to be expelled when the permanent teeth erupt. This can lead to maformation of the mouth, tooth root problems and gum disease. If you have a puppy the mouth should be checked carefully for persistent temporary teeth at five months of age.

The permanent teeth have to last the lifetime of your dog. In the wild, loss of these teeth would result in sub-optimal nutrition or even starvation. People usually brush their teeth twice daily and dentists would encourage 'flossing' as well. If we don't do this then tartar, plaque and eventually mouth disease occur. Our breath smells, our mouth tastes dreadful and pain occurs. Dogs are no different. In the wild state they would hunt and chew on fur and bone - nature's toothbrush. Modern tinned food is mushy, even dry foods just crumble on the 'table' of the tooth and have little benefit at the gum margins where the disease occurs. This leaves food deposits in the crevices between teeth and gums acting as a nutrient for bacteria to thrive in, for plaque and then tartar to develop and finally for tooth decay.

Tartar is a mixture of food, cellular debris, mineral salts and bacteria which is deposited on and around teeth, which with time causes gum recession, tooth root exposure, gingivitis, tooth loosening and eventual loss of teeth. It is possible to halt this process by adopting the following preventative measures.

1. The first message is to start early. Play with your puppie's mouth as soon as you get them. Make them used to you putting your fingers in their mouth and rubbing their gums a couple of times per day.

2. The next stage is to purchase a small dog toothbrush and gently run it inside the cheek pouch next to the molars and around the sharp 'spiky' canine teeth.

3. As they get a little older use a companion animal toothpaste with asuitable sized brush to suite your dog. Human brushes are too large in the head and usually too short in the handle.The C.E.T Dual headed Toothbrush works well. Do not use human paste as they 'froth' which dogs hate and they tend to be mint flavoured which again they dislike.

4. Use a good quality toothpaste, such as the C.E.T Malt and C.E.T Poultry pastes which have an enzymatic base and are easy to use.

5. So it's too late, your dog has grown up and won't let you brush his or her teeth! There are other options worth looking at. Logic Oral Gel comes in a tube and can be applied by a brush (very effective) but most people will put it on their finger and rub it onto the gums inside the cheek daily after the main meal. It helps kill bacteria, and reduce plaque and tartar in the mouth. It also helps reduce bad breath!

6. Dental treats and toys are a very useful aid at controlling dental tartar. C.E.T. Chews for Dogs come in all sizes and with their chewable hide base infiltrated with enzymes to degrade tartar, they are a helpful aid in the armory against mouth disease. There are several dental toys on the market. The Kong Dental Toy as it is well shaped, effective and robust.

Dental diets

This is an important area where all owners could easily help their dogs. Hard crunchy foods tend to be better for the teeth than soft ones although there is nothing wrong with feeding a proportion of a soft tinned or flat pack food. A food that we have seen excellent results with, is Hills Canine t/d This is a dried food with an oversized kibble (in standard and mini depending on the size of your dog) with a flattened upper and lower surface. This makes the kibble 'sit' between the teeth in a set plane and can only be crunched from one direction. Each kibble has a fibre lattice laid inside it. As the dog bites, the teeth go through the fibre which acts like a toothbrush. Dogs on at least 50% of this product appear to have significantly cleaner teeth than those who are not. Nutritionally it is geared to middle aged and older dogs.

Dental care if your dog has dental disease

Go and see your veterinarian and discuss what level of treatment is available. The first stage is to remove tartar and plaque using an ultrasonic scaler and the teeth must be polished afterwards. This improves dental health by minutely cleaning the surface and slowing re-deposition of tartar. Teeth with dental caries may be filled although for economy sake, many owners wish and vets, feel it is better to remove these teeth. Ask your vet whether they have the facility to 'drill and fill'. If tooth roots are very exposed, these teeth may need to be removed as well.

Mouth Disease

There are many different forms of mouth disease. Infection of the gums (gingivitis) may warrant a course of antibiotics, which your veterinarian may prescribe. However, mouth disease may represent more severe disease problems. If caught early by your veterinarian, rectifying procedures can be put in place. Dogs with kidney disease or diabetes may present as animals with smelly, infected, mouths. We unfortunately, see dogs with tumours and cancer of the mouth. Early diagnosis is essential. An extremely important area to be aware of is secondary disease caused as a result of primary mouth disease. Dogs with gingivitis are a reservoir of infection which allows bacteria to 'float' around the blood system where they seed out in important organs served by this blood supply. This can cause heart valve disease, kidney disease and liver disease as a result of bad oral hygiene.

The message we hope we can pass to all dog owners is that if in doubt about mouth health, visit your veterinarian. If your dog has tartar and plaque get the teeth cleaned and then make sure that a regimen of dental care and hygiene is put into place. Better still, don't let your dog's mouth get into a condition where veterinary dental treatment becomes necessary.