Dentistry

Every day, most people clean their teeth 2-3 times. This helps us to keep those pesky bacteria at bay, that can build up to cause plaque and tartar. Having healthy teeth and gums is just as important for our furry family members as it is for us. You can – and should – clean your dog’s, cat’s and even ferret’s teeth daily, for the same reasons.  If you introduce this right at the start, you can build it into their daily routine. However, that does not prevent you from introducing it to an older or recused pet’s daily schedule.

How do I brush my pet’s teeth?

Using a soft-bristled pet-friendly toothbrush or finger brush, combined with pet-safe toothpaste, we can easily help to prevent surgical intervention being required. This is the gold standard of home dental care for our furry friends.

We recommend using an enzymatic pet friendly toothpaste. This means that not only is the paste safe for them to swallow, but it will leave a residue to help break down and fight off the bacteria.

Start by offering a small pea-sized piece of the poultry or fish-flavoured toothpaste as a treat. Take the opportunity to run your fingers around your et’s gums whilst they are resting, so they are used to having something in their mouth. Once your pet has become accustomed to this, you can start to introduce them to toothpaste being rubbed over the front surface of their teeth and gums. Finally, we can introduce the toothbrush or finger brush.

Try to make this seem like fun, and allow them to lick the toothpaste off of the brush initially. Then you can introduce them to it being brushed over the gums and teeth. Make sure you push the toothpaste right into the bristles of the brush, or your pet may have eaten it before you have even started brushing the teeth! You might find it easier to do this in the evening whilst they are relaxing with you, or as part of the bedtime routine.

My pet isn’t young. When should I start brushing the teeth?

If you are looking to add toothbrushing to a more elderly or rescued pet’s routine, make sure you are starting with a healthy mouth. If they already have plaque and tartar build up, they will need to have a dental scale and polish under general anaesthetic first. All animals will have a full vet health check on the day, and can have blood tests run in advance to ensure they are safe to have a general anaesthetic.  It is important for us to remove the plaque not just visible on the teeth, but also under the gum-line. This pushes the gum away from the teeth, so we need to ensure the tooth and gum are reunited before starting our brushing regime – otherwise the plaque under the gums just acts as a base for more plaque to join.

What are we trying to prevent?

If the bacteria are allowed to build up on the surfaces of the teeth, there are a number of dental problems that can develop. These include:-

• Halitosis, which is bad breath.
• Gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums.
• Gum recession, which can leave the tooth roots exposed and lead to infection.
• Damage to the enamel, which can lead to pulp and nerve ending exposure.
• The bacteria will also be regularly breaking off and pass through into the body and blood stream, where they can cause damage to the heart and liver.
• If inhaled, that bacteria can also cause respiratory infections.

These problems can be very painful and cause your pet to change what they are willing to eat and to play with. Only in extreme cases will they stop eating: their natural survival instincts will not let them starve.

When vital organs are damaged by the bacteria, the subsequent conditions can become life-threatening, for example, heart failure or pneumonia.

All of these problems can affect your pet’s quality of life, and life expectancy. However, maintaining a dental hygiene routine can help to prevent all of these occurring, and to manage any problems that may already be present.

Do some dogs and cats have worse dental problems than others?

Yes – there are some breeds of dogs and cats that have a genetic tendency towards tooth disease. In dogs, this includes most small breeds, as well as poodles and their crosses.  Some cats and sighthounds can be prone to gum disease, which can then expose their teeth.

It is particularly important in these breeds to keep up with dental health, to prevent the diseases listed above from occurring. Some pets may require annual, or even bi-annual, dentistry to keep their mouths clean. If you have one of these pets, it would be worth considering our premium health plans  to help spread the cost of an annual scale and polish.