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What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal Disease, otherwise known as Dental Disease is the most common disease of domestic pets affecting up to 80% of cats and dogs over the age of 3 years.

Periodental Disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the tissues supporting the teeth in the mouth.  The main cause of Periodontal Disease is plaque, a sticky film that forms on teeth, and unless it is cleaned away it builds up to form tartar.  

Tartar is a calcified buildup of plaque which harbours bacteria. The plaque or tartar pushes it's way under the gumline over a period of time. This destroys the sensitive oral tissues leading to inflammation of the gums(Gingivitis) and infection. The tissues supporting the tooth structure rot away, leaving the tooth unstable. The tooth evetually fractures or falls out.

Untreated Periodontal Disease is painful and leads to chronic disease of other organs in the body such as the kidneys, heart and liver.

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Can You Spot The Periodontal Disease?

Notice in the photo on the right how the tartar has rotted away the gum and extended upwards towards the lip. Once the tartar/plaque is removed, these teeth will most likely be loose, ooze pus and probably fall out with the tartar!

The teeth appear longer then normal, this is because the tartar has replaced the gum covering and is exposing the root of the tooth. This dog would be in a lot of pain.

The one on the left has normal healthy teeth and gums.

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 Periodental Disease Staging

Periodontal Disease is always best prevented rather then treated.

Note the redness of the gums in stage 1. There is already significant inflammation and infection present.

Periodontal Disease Stage Prevention Treatment Reversible Organ Damage
1 YES VET/HOME YES NO
2 YES VET/HOME YES/SOMETIMES STARTING
3 YES VET USUALLY NOT YES
4 YES VET NO SEVERE

How Is It Treated?

Even a Stage 1 and 2 Periodental Disease should to be treated by your Veterinarian, however, in some cases home treatment is possible. It is best treated by a vet because the dangerous plaque is not the plaque you can see on the teeth but the plaque that sits under the gumline, breaking down all the important tissues which hold the tooth together. The vet will need to clean under the gumline to ensure all the infection has been removed. Sometimes antibiotics will be required.

A stage 4 Periodontal Disease is serious and needs prompt attention. Stage 4 is not only very painful but irreversible and will lead to tooth loss. It also causes other infections throughout the body, damaging liver, kidneys and heart. The vet will need to thoroughly check your pet including blood and urine tests to determine the level of damage that your pets' organs have suffered.

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Before And After Scaling(Cleaning)

The plaque has been cleaned from under the gumline and the inflammation of the gums will disappear in a few days. 

How Is It Prevented?

As with any disease, prevention is better then cure. These days there are many ways in which we can prevent Periodontal Disease in our pets. See the table below for a summary

Prevention Choices

You should consider using at least 3 of these prevention choices in combination.

Products Picture Function
Non Prescription Food Advance Feline Adult Dental Chicken 3kg These foods are primarily for the prevention of Periodontal Disease in at risk pets such as most breeds of cats and small breeds of dogs or those larger breeds with brachycephalic features(pushed-in faces like bulldogs)
Prescription Food
 
td Feline Dental Health dry
These foods are primarily for pets who do not respond to the non prescription food range or have suffered from Periodontal Disese which requires ongoing Veterinary intervention.
Oral Hygeine
 
Tropiclean Oral Care Kit For Small Cats And Dogs
Oral hygeine products such as water additives, gels and toothrushes are an important part of your pets daily dental care routine, especially if they have suffered from Periodontal Disease in the past.
Treats
 
Feline Greenies Chicken Flavour Cat Treats 85gm

Dental treats are one of the easiest ways to keep your pets teeth clean.

There are a number of great treats which are specifically designed to prevent plaque build up such as Greenies. Greenies can also be given to Cats.

Toys kong_dental-stick

Dental toys are a fun way for cats and dogs to maintain healthy chewing habits.

There are a number of great toys which are specifically designed to prevent plaque build up such as the Kong Dental Range. These toys can also be combined with the dental treats for a fun filled activity game that helps maintain oral hygeine.

For a complete range of our oral care products click here

Why Should I Treat And Prevent Periodental Disease?

As a practicing Veterinarian, I would often hear my clients say..."but he doesn't seem to be in any pain and he's still eating"  

Have you ever had a tooth ache? The "tooth ache" is the number one emergency that human dentists attend to. Now imagine not just one tooth ache but 42(dog), 32(cat) tooth aches! No wonder he's "Grumpy". But he's still eating right? He doesn't really have a choice, it's eat or die of starvation. Pain is over ridden by the need to eat to survive. Just imagine what kind of existance this would be for your pet, and the worst part, is he can't tell ANYONE how he's feeling.

Believe me....it's a painful condition which is often overlooked as unimportant by pet owners and leads to an early death through organ failure. Not to mention the poor quality of life they have in the meantime.

August is dental awareness month and is an excellent time to get educated about dental care in your pets.