February is veterinary dental health month, and as such, is a great opportunity to have your pet’s teeth checked by your veterinarian. Dental disease is a very common condition and most pets suffer from some degree of this widespread illness. Dogs and cats are not the only species affected. I have personally seen ferrets, hedge hogs, horses, cows, and llamas with some form of dental disease. Even if you are seeing no signs of illness, your pet should be examined by your veterinarian at least once a year, as pets often hide even serious problems. I will review a few of the common problems involving the teeth and mouth in animals.
Small Animals:
Gum disease and dental tartar are common problems in dogs, cats, ferrets, and other species of small mammals, and can also be a problem for horses, albeit less commonly. In contrast to humans, animals don’t usually develop cavities. We don’t know for sure why, but we think it has to do with differences in diet, especially when you consider that animal’s diets are much lower in sugar and much less acidic.
Pets do however, have significant problems with dental calculus. Dental calculus, also known as tartar, is “calcium phosphate and carbonate, with organic matter, deposited on tooth surfaces1.” Calculus develops though a process of bacterial metabolism. First plaque builds up on the teeth. Plaque is “a filmy deposit on the surface of a tooth consisting of a mixture of mucus, bacteria, food, etc.2″. Calcium deposits result from metabolic activity of the bacteria in plaque. Calculus then leads to gingivitis and gum disease. Gum disease and gingivitis cause pain and lead to more serious problems such as bacterial infection in other organs such as the brain, liver, kidneys, and lungs. Periodontal disease can also result in destruction of the periodontal ligament, bone, and subsequently tooth loss.
Large Animals:
In horses, llamas, and cows dental problems usually result from overgrown teeth. These herbivores teeth grow throughout their lives and as the teeth grow they develop sharp edges (also called points) on the outside edges of the upper teeth and the lower edges of the bottom teeth. These points cause pain, decreased ability to chew food, and sores on the cheek and gum, which can lead to bacterial infection of internal organs. If you can remember how painful it was to eat with your last canker sore, you can gain some empathy for how it must feel to chew with a mouth full of sores day in and day out.
As mentioned earlier, horses will sometimes develop dental tartar which may result in significant gingivitis, but usually only around their canine teeth. While severe periodontal disease is not common in horses, the gingivitis is a source of chronic pain and as with other oral diseases, bacterial infection of internal organs.
Veterinary dental health month was designated as such to increase awareness among owners and to improve the health and wellbeing of those animals that do so much to improve our lives. This is the perfect time to have your animals examined by your family veterinarian for possible dental disease, no matter what species they are. Many veterinary clinics will be offering dental services at discounted rates in commemoration of dental health month. Don’t pass up this opportunity, call your veterinarian and set up an appointment today.
1. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/dental+calculus
2. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dental+plaque