Read About Dental Disease and Heart Damage

As a pet owner, one of the most important aspects of care is making sure your pet is free of dental disease. Take a look at your pet´s teeth. Often the front teeth, the incisors and canines (fangs) look clean, but check the teeth on the side of his mouth by pushing up his upper lip. The upper teeth, premolars and molars that touch the inner checks are often the first place where yellowish tartar will gather.

Tartar starts out as a soft substance called plaque, a mixture of food and bacteria that sticks to the enamel of the teeth when your dog eats. Calcium from the saliva causes the plaque to harden into tartar. Tartar can be very hard. Soft plaque can be brushed off, while tartar cannot be removed with simple brushing – it has to be chipped off with an ultrasonic scalar.

Often, when your dog has had tartar on his teeth for a long time, his gums get inflamed because of associated bacteria. As the inflammation and infection progress, the gums form pockets and separate from the teeth. Bacteria crawl deeper into the gum pocket, causing damage to the ligaments holding the teeth and roots in place. This leads to loosening and loss of the teeth. Tooth and gum disease are not only painful for your pet, they are the cause of other health problems, particularly in the heart, kidney and liver.

The gums are blood–rich tissues that are prone to harmful bacteria. Whenever gums become infected, bacteria can be constantly picked up into the blood supply. The bacteria can move to the heart, where it can attach to the heart valves and lining; and to the kidneys and liver, where it can cause chronic. The chronic infection and inflammation can cause heart valves to scar and shrink, creating a leaky heart valve, which is heard as a heart murmur. In the kidney and liver, chronic infection can damage the organs at the cellular level, and over time will cause permanent destruction of renal tubules and hepatocytes.

There are many toothbrushes and toothpastes for pets, with flavors like beef and poultry. Pay the most attention to the outer or lip side of the upper chewing teeth. Likewise, the outer surfaces of the rest of the teeth tend to be the ones that gather the most tartar early on. Like brushing our own teeth, it takes remembering!

There are also dental diets, dental chews and dental drinking water additives with substances that help prevent the adhesion of plaque to the teeth and freshen your pet´s breath. Some dogs and cats require dental care every 6 months due to the amount of tartar or tooth decay present. Normally, a pet whose teeth have never been brushed will begin to build noticeable tartar within 5–7 years of age. Start brushing your pet´s teeth at a young age, and when you see hard tartar starting to build up, have your pet´s teeth professionally cleaned. Keeping your dog´s teeth pearly white on the outside will help keep him healthy on the inside.

Sharon E. Anderson, DVM

Sharon E. Anderson, DVM, answers medically-related questions, but will not attempt to diagnose or recommend specific treatments. Her advice is not meant to replace professional care. If your pet is ill, contact your veterinarian immediately.