Emmie is a 6 year old sweet, fluffy Maltese. She presented for her dental cleaning because owner noticed blood from her mouth. However, Emmie was still eating well at home.
On initial oral examination, Emmies teeth were thickly coated in plaque and tartar (calculus) with one painful, potentially infected tooth. After anesthetic induction and a full oral examination including dental radiograph, more than 25% of her teeth had deep infection including tooth root abscess. Large molars and multiple premolars had tooth root abscess which we did not expect from her daily behavior and awake oral examination.
I did not report any discomfort, trouble eating, no crying for pain at home.
For infection this severe, pain levels, discomfort, and systemic bacterial infection risks are very high for the pet. Extractions, some root planning and subgingival antibiotic gel application were performed. Emmie is feeling great after this major treatment.
Our main goal with a prophylactic dental cleaning is to prevent severe periodontal disease which can lead to irreversible stages. Plaque is a sticky film that coats teeth and contains bacteria. If dental plaque isn’t removed when it’s soft, it hadnerns and becomes difficult to remove. Dental plaque can damage a tooth and lead to tooth decay or tooth loss. Symptoms may vary from none to receding gums or bad breath. Regular brushing can help prevent plaque.* However, when plaque gets hardened we can help removing it by professional dental cleaning.
A professional dental cleaning should include general anesthesia with close monitoring, a full intraoral exam, full mouth dental radiograph, ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and sometimes flossing by a veterinary professional. General anesthesia is absolute necessity to ensure the through cleaning and imaging procedures can be performed safely and comfortably with minimum stress for your pet.
Regular prophylactic dental cleaning (annually or per your veterinarian’s recommendation) with dental radiograph as well as home dental care are extremely important for your fur baby’s overall health, life longevity and quality of life by preventing any pain from silent dental disease. By keeping their oral health in tip-top shape and keeping systemic bacteria at a minimum, we can help to avoid diseases related to the heart, teeth, and kidneys, and keep your baby happy and pain free.
Dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats and most easily missed disease as well. Symptoms are so sutble and they will continue to eat even with broken teeth/tooth. The good news is it can be prevented. We would like to be a part of your pet’s healthcare for healthier, happier, and longer life of your pets.
* Veterinary oral health council for quality and proven dental products for dogs and cats http://www.vohc.org/all_accepted_products.html