Yanchep Veterinary Clinic 9561 2438 - Dental Care is Important

Dental Facts and Disease in Cats

Kittens have 26 temporary teeth that begin to erupt at about two to three weeks of age. They have 30 permanent teeth that emerge at about three to four months.

Studies have found 70 percent of cats show signs of gum disease by age three. Symptoms include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the gumline, red inflamed gums and persistent bad breath.

Feline Odontoclastic Lesions (FORL), commonly called cervical line lesions, are the most common dental disease of domestic cats. The disease was virtually unrecognized until the mid-1970's. Recent studies show about 28 percent of domestic cats show at least one lesion. The lesions often begin below the gumline, so they can develop undetected. Often, the first sign to the pet owner is a severely inflamed gum around a tooth. Cat owners should seek veterinary care if their cat exhibits pain or inflammation around the gums.

Dental Facts and Disease in Dogs

Puppies have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about three to four weeks of age. They have 42 permanent teeth that begin to emerge at about four months of age.

Puppies should lose a puppy tooth before the corresponding adult tooth emerges. If a puppy tooth is still in place when an adult tooth begins to show, contact your veterinarian. He or she may advise extracting the tooth.

Studies show that by age three, 80 percent of dogs exhibit signs of gum disease. Symptoms include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the gumline, red inflamed gums and persistent bad breath.

Small dog breeds are more likely to develop periodontal disease than large dogs. According to veterinary dental experts, this is because the teeth of small dogs are often too large for their mouths.

The canine teeth of working dogs are essential for the dogs to carry prey and other objects. If these teeth are broken, a canine dentist can prepare a crown.

A broken tooth is a common problem, especially among outdoor dogs. Aggressive chewing on hard objects, such as rocks, is a primary cause.

Safely and Professionally Cleaning Your Pet's Teeth

To properly evaluate and clean your pet's teeth, general anesthesia or deep sedation is necessary. If teeth cleaning is done without anesthesia or deep sedation, it is usually done outside a veterinary hospital by non-professional individuals. Only veterinarians are authorized to administer anesthesia or sedation to pets and veterinarians are the only professionals who can properly clean your pets' teeth.

There are several reasons why anesthesia or deep sedation is necessary for oral examination and dental cleaning:

Dental tartar is firmly attached to the surface of teeth and needs to be removed.
Scaling by ultrasonic scalers and sharp hand instruments are necessary in order to remove the dental tartar.
Any sudden movement can cause injury to the animal or individual performing the dental procedure.
Dental scaling is performed above and below the gum line. Scaling the teeth above the gum line usually does not cause discomfort; however, scaling below the gum line (or under the gums) can cause discomfort. The area below the gum line, or subgingival space, is the most important area to clean as periodontal disease begins here.
Humans cooperate during dental procedures; however, without anesthesia or deep sedation, dogs and cats do not.
Scaling above the gum line offers nothing but cosmetic results. Scaling must be done below the gum line.

A complete examination of all surfaces of the teeth is impossible to perform while the veterinary patient is awake. The external surface of some teeth may be superficially examined; however, the inside surfaces of the teeth (within the oral cavity) cannot be evaluated unless anesthesia or deep sedation is administered.

Laboratory blood tests along with an ECG and radiographs are sometimes necessary before a dental patient can be anesthetized. The older the patient, the more tests that may be needed prior to administering general anesthesia. Animals with congenital disease and pets suffering from chronic conditions are a greater anesthetic risk than completely healthy pets. If your pet is considered an anesthetic risk, your veterinarian will recommend the tests that are necessary prior to administering anesthesia.

The anesthesia given to one pet may be completely different than the anesthesia given to another pet. Your veterinarian can choose from a variety of pre-anesthetic medications and anesthesia induction agents. After the pre-anesthesia medication and induction agents are administered, general anesthesia is usually maintained with a gas agent (isoflurane or sevoflurane) mixed with oxygen.

Monitoring the anesthetized patient is a fundamental procedure in veterinary medicine. Most veterinary hospitals evaluate the condition of their anesthetized patients by using one or more of the following monitors:

Electronic Respiratory Monitor
Pulse Oximeter
Blood-Pressure Monitor
Electrocardiograph (ECG)
Esophageal Stethoscope
Carbon Dioxide Monitor

Along with patient monitoring, it is important to keep the pet warm and comfortable during the dental procedure. Since many procedures may last longer than an hour, the pet's core body temperature may become lowered. By using blankets, hot water bottles and heated tables, the veterinary patient's body temperature can be maintained at its normal value.

During the last few years, veterinary dentistry has made tremendous strides. By taking advantage of the dental procedures offered at our hospital, your pet can enjoy the benefits of having excellent teeth well into his or her senior years.