February is national pet dental health month! Does your pet have clean, healthy chompers? If your dog or cat has a smelly mouth, that may be more that “dog breath” (or cat). Odor coming from the mouth signifies an increase in bacteria and often infection. Think how often we brush our teeth and go to the dentist. Dogs and cats need that too! Their diet and chew toys play a big role in their oral health.
Feeding dry kibble is better for the teeth as it is not as likely to stick to the teeth and gum line. There is also specially formulated food that will help scrape plaque off the teeth. Use care with the type of chew toys provided. Certain toys have the potential to cause more damage than benefit. If they are too hard, your pet may break a tooth and potentially cause intestinal problems as well.
While we often see the tartar and associate that as the oral disease, truly the oral health concern comes with the gingiva and periodontium. This is the disease of the gums and the ligaments that hold the teeth into their socket. Gum disease is an infection resulting from build-up of plaque on the surface of the teeth. This bacteria irritates the gum tissues which leads to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth. Gums become irritated, leading to bleeding and oral pain. The roots may become so severely affected that the teeth may become loose or fall out. Bacteria surrounding the roots can gain access to the blood stream. Studies have shown that pets with severe periodontal disease have more severe microscopic damage in their kidneys, heart muscle, and liver than dogs with healthy mouths.