There is a lot of misinformation circulating about animal dentistry. Animal dentistry has both similarities and differences from human dentistry.
Dogs have 42 teeth. Cats have 30 teeth. Humans have 32 teeth.
Teeth have different functions.
Incisors are the front teeth, they are used for picking up little things.
Canines are the big fangs, they are used for tearing meat. In cats you may see a groove down the tooth, this is called the blood groove.
Premolars and the Molars are for chewing food.
Any pet regardless of age can have dental disease.
When you look at one of your pet's teeth, you see only the crown. This is just 1/3 of the tooth. and can appear normal. The other two thirds extend below the gum line and can only be seen on x-ray. And they can tell a whole different story!
When you see a dentist, you sit in a chair and open your mouth. Even with sedatives like nitrous oxide (laughing gas) you are fully awake during your procedure. Unfortunately animals will not do this with us. General anesthetics must be used with all animal dentistry. Once anesthetized we can then properly assess the teeth. We use a probe to go around the gums to look for pockets, which we can't see on a general exam. X-rays may or may not be taken depending on the tooth. We look for anything abnormal that indicates a tooth needs to be extracted.
We don't like taking out teeth. Tooth extractions can become very complicated. If we think a tooth can be saved, we will try. But if it needs to come out within our expertise, then we will take it out. Leaving bad teeth in the mouth will cause future problems and if one tooth is infected, it becomes a chain reaction as it spreads to the other teeth and into the jaw bone.
When your pet eats, plaque forms on the teeth. It's that sticky feeling you get when you don't brush your own teeth. Plaque is a mix of food particles with bacteria feeding on it. If not brushed, the plaque turns into hard calculus called tartar. Tartar can only be removed by a dentistry.
Bacteria, plaque and tartar get larger and push their way under the gum line between the gum and the tooth and form a pocket between the gum and tooth. Bacteria can then travel into other organs like the heart, kidneys and liver via the bloodstream. More food and bacteria get trapped in the pocket to advance the disease. Eventually it will start eroding the bone that the tooth is anchored in. At this point the tooth cannot be saved and will need to be extracted.
Teeth have one, two or three roots. Some have straight roots, others can be curved. Sometimes you can even get a tooth that has an extra root! Some teeth can actually have their roots right into the lower layer of the lower jaw bone. Sometimes teeth are missing, buried or there are extra ones. This is why x-rays are so important.
During a dentistry all remaining teeth will get the tartar and plaque scaled off both above and under the gum line and the crown, and then polished. Scaling causes small pits in the enamel which need to be polished down or tartar will soon start forming in the pits.
Another misconception is that a dentistry will last a year or even the lifetime of the pet. Plaque starts forming as soon as your pet eats. Depending how your pet reacts to the plaque, some start forming tartar within weeks.
This would be the same if you didn't brush your own teeth for several days to a year!
Brushing with a toothbrush is the best prevention, followed by specific dental diets. There are water additives available, but all are not created equal.
With the commercial foods available today, a dog/cat can live quite happy without teeth. They don't need to use their teeth to tear meat or for foraging anymore.
We hear from clients that their pet isn't showing any signs of discomfort but may be not quite eating as much. Pets eat to live. If a tooth is hurting, they will still eat, but not necessarily show you signs of pain or even yelp. Sometimes you might see them eating on one side or drooling. If you have ever gotten something stuck between your teeth like a popcorn kernel or a raspberry seed that hurts when you bite down, you know it can be uncomfortable or even painful. This is the same thing that your pet can go through when biting down on an injured/lose tooth. They also can react to hot and cold, the same way we do.
Many times after a dental procedure, people have commented the next day that their dog/cat is acting like a young animal again, wanting to play and even eating more. Dental pain is a serious matter and should not be ignored.
Frequent cleanings will save you money, help save your pet's teeth and let your pet have a longer life with a beautiful smile.
If you think your pet is having dental problems please give us a call 705-878-8300 to book a dental exam with one of our doctors.