Dental Health – the scary reality if ignored
Scotty Valadao -Friends of the Dog - Canine Behaviourist
Scotty Valadao -Friends of the Dog - Canine Behaviourist

After hearing today about another dog that ended up having surgery and teeth removed due to inadequate cleaning, we felt we would be remiss if we did not remind you how critical it is to keep your dog’s teeth healthy, as well as give you some signs of dental disease, and how to keep them in tip-top condition and don’t wait for plaque to build up - prevention is always better than cure.
Did you know that approximately 90% of dogs and cats over the age of 2 years old, are affected by dental disease, especially in the smaller breed dogs – scary!
What we have covered here is:-
At the bottom of this article, we have supplied a link on how to brush your dogs teeth.
What can happen if dental disease occurs
We were sent this exert from an article by Karen Hartzenber, which she says came originally from Oregon Veterinary Specialty Hospital (http://www.ovshosp.com),and explains what can happen.
You already know that not taking care of your dog’s teeth can lead to periodontal disease, a condition that results in bleeding gums, bad breath, and ultimately tooth loss. “Periodontal disease starts under the gum line with a substance called plaque, which is made up of bacteria,” explains Dr. Lisa Fink, a board-certified veterinary dentist and oral surgeon at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. “Left on tooth surface and in the area surrounding the tooth, plaque incites the animal’s immune system and an inflammatory response ensues, starting with gingivitis.”
Poor oral hygiene is also linked to other health issues, including diabetes and heart disease, and can lead to a broken jaw. It’s a painful condition, but because dogs are experts at hiding pain, you may not even realize there’s a problem.
Here are five ways neglecting your dog’s oral hygiene can negatively impact not only her teeth and gums, but also her overall health and well-being. Although veterinarians say they can’t know with absolute certainty that periodontal disease is the cause of these ailments, there is ample evidence that points to a connection.
Dental Disease Promotes Inflammation
Bacteria that originates from dental infections triggers the immune system, which results in inflammation. The inflammatory response kills bacteria but also destroys tissue in the process. “In fact, the majority of tissue destruction associated with dental infections is caused by products of the immune system and not by degradation products from the bacteria themselves,” explains Dr. Chad Lothamer, an assistant professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. “This can lead to local tissue loss, pain, and infection of the surrounding tissues.”
The more severe the dental disease and the more inflammation present, the increased likelihood that bacteria may enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, says Lothamer, who is board-certified in veterinary dentistry. “Infections in and around the teeth do cause increases in inflammatory mediators and can cause bacteremia (a state in which bacteria appears in the blood), which likely does cause damage to distant parts of the body or distant infections.”
Reducing inflammation by treating periodontal disease can have profound impact on a dog’s health because “it decreases the amount of work the body has to do to fight this infection,” says Dr. Kris Bannon, a board-certified veterinary dentist at Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery of New Mexico in Algodones.
Dental Disease Increases the Risk for Heart Disease
There is evidence that periodontal disease is linked to cardiopulmonary diseases like endocarditis, according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). The risk of endocarditis is about six times higher in dogs with stage three periodontal disease than for dogs without it, the association says.
Bannon says a large number of canine patients present with both periodontal disease and heart disease concurrently. While it can be tough to determine cause and effect, “we know there’s an association because they so often occur together,” she says.
One key piece of evidence of a connection, Bannon says, is that the cultured bacteria from infected heart valves are identical to those also identified in the mouth.
Dental Disease Complicates Diabetes
Diabetic dogs tend to have higher levels of periodontal disease, Bannon says. In fact, the two conditions feed on each other in a vicious cycle. The more severe the periodontal disease is, the more serious the diabetes gets, which, in turn, worsens the periodontal disease, she says.
It’s not always possible to determine which came first—the periodontal disease or the diabetes—but inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can affect blood sugar metabolism, says Dr. Jason Nicholas, chief medical officer at Preventive Vet, based in Portland, Oregon.
“This is especially important in terms of complicating the control and regulation of diabetic animals.” Inflammation and infection decrease the body’s sensitivity to insulin, a primary hormone involved in blood sugar regulation, he adds.
It’s difficult to balance a dog’s diabetes until the periodontal disease is treated, Bannon says. “Once that tooth is addressed, their diabetes is much easier to stabilize.”
Dental Disease Causes Pain and Sensitivity
Dogs rarely show signs that they’re in pain, and if they’re behaving and eating as usual, it may appear as nothing is wrong. That’s an incorrect assumption.
“Appetite is a strong drive. It is easy to avoid biting on a painful tooth. We all have seen dogs ‘inhaling’ hard food without chewing,” says Dr. Stanley Blazejewski, a board-certified veterinary dentist at VRC Specialty Hospital in Malvern, Pennsylvania. “But it is obvious that they can suffer from oral pathology because owners frequently remark that ‘he/she is just like a puppy again’ after treatment, adding that they regret postponing care.”
“It’s a hidden disease,” adds Dr. Donnell Hansen, a board-certified veterinary dentist with BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Blaine, Minnesota. Dogs may display signs of dental trouble such as drooling, a lack of appetite, swelling, or bleeding, but these do not show up in every case.
Usually by the time the signs come up, it is too late to the save the tooth, and there is a high likelihood the pet has been living quietly in pain for quite some time. “Most pets continue with their daily routine and it is not until we have the opportunity to address the fractured canine or wiggly molar that families will notice a difference in their pet,” Hansen says.
Dental Disease Can Lead to a Broken Jaw
Poor oral hygiene can lead to a broken jaw in dogs, especially smaller breeds with disproportionately large teeth, such as Chihuahuas, Lhasa Apsos, Maltese, and Shih Tzus, Hansen says. “Infection to these dogs’ mouths can weaken their relatively small jaws and something as simple as jumping off the couch can lead to jaw fracture,” she says.
It’s fortunately not a common occurrence, says Dr. Gwenn Schamberger, a board-certified veterinary dentist with WVRC Emergency & Specialty Pet Care in Waukesha, Wisconsin. “But I do see this and it is serious and very painful—it can be very difficult to get the fracture to heal appropriately— because the bone is not healthy bone,” Schamberger says. “I have also had patients that have had a fractured tooth that has been fractured for years and ‘not caused a problem’ and they become sick for another reason and now that fractured tooth does becomes an obvious problem.”
Most of the time it can be fixed, says Fink, who is also an adjunct assistant clinical professor of dentistry and oral surgery at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. “However, in many cases jaws that fracture due to periodontal disease present an extra challenge due to the lack of good quality bone in the area as well as lack of teeth.”
Did you know that approximately 90% of dogs and cats over the age of 2 years old, are affected by dental disease, especially in the smaller breed dogs – scary!
What we have covered here is:-
- What dental disease can lead too
- Symptoms of possible dental disease
- Tips to keep your dogs teeth in tip top condition
At the bottom of this article, we have supplied a link on how to brush your dogs teeth.
What can happen if dental disease occurs
We were sent this exert from an article by Karen Hartzenber, which she says came originally from Oregon Veterinary Specialty Hospital (http://www.ovshosp.com),and explains what can happen.
You already know that not taking care of your dog’s teeth can lead to periodontal disease, a condition that results in bleeding gums, bad breath, and ultimately tooth loss. “Periodontal disease starts under the gum line with a substance called plaque, which is made up of bacteria,” explains Dr. Lisa Fink, a board-certified veterinary dentist and oral surgeon at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. “Left on tooth surface and in the area surrounding the tooth, plaque incites the animal’s immune system and an inflammatory response ensues, starting with gingivitis.”
Poor oral hygiene is also linked to other health issues, including diabetes and heart disease, and can lead to a broken jaw. It’s a painful condition, but because dogs are experts at hiding pain, you may not even realize there’s a problem.
Here are five ways neglecting your dog’s oral hygiene can negatively impact not only her teeth and gums, but also her overall health and well-being. Although veterinarians say they can’t know with absolute certainty that periodontal disease is the cause of these ailments, there is ample evidence that points to a connection.
Dental Disease Promotes Inflammation
Bacteria that originates from dental infections triggers the immune system, which results in inflammation. The inflammatory response kills bacteria but also destroys tissue in the process. “In fact, the majority of tissue destruction associated with dental infections is caused by products of the immune system and not by degradation products from the bacteria themselves,” explains Dr. Chad Lothamer, an assistant professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. “This can lead to local tissue loss, pain, and infection of the surrounding tissues.”
The more severe the dental disease and the more inflammation present, the increased likelihood that bacteria may enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, says Lothamer, who is board-certified in veterinary dentistry. “Infections in and around the teeth do cause increases in inflammatory mediators and can cause bacteremia (a state in which bacteria appears in the blood), which likely does cause damage to distant parts of the body or distant infections.”
Reducing inflammation by treating periodontal disease can have profound impact on a dog’s health because “it decreases the amount of work the body has to do to fight this infection,” says Dr. Kris Bannon, a board-certified veterinary dentist at Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery of New Mexico in Algodones.
Dental Disease Increases the Risk for Heart Disease
There is evidence that periodontal disease is linked to cardiopulmonary diseases like endocarditis, according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). The risk of endocarditis is about six times higher in dogs with stage three periodontal disease than for dogs without it, the association says.
Bannon says a large number of canine patients present with both periodontal disease and heart disease concurrently. While it can be tough to determine cause and effect, “we know there’s an association because they so often occur together,” she says.
One key piece of evidence of a connection, Bannon says, is that the cultured bacteria from infected heart valves are identical to those also identified in the mouth.
Dental Disease Complicates Diabetes
Diabetic dogs tend to have higher levels of periodontal disease, Bannon says. In fact, the two conditions feed on each other in a vicious cycle. The more severe the periodontal disease is, the more serious the diabetes gets, which, in turn, worsens the periodontal disease, she says.
It’s not always possible to determine which came first—the periodontal disease or the diabetes—but inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can affect blood sugar metabolism, says Dr. Jason Nicholas, chief medical officer at Preventive Vet, based in Portland, Oregon.
“This is especially important in terms of complicating the control and regulation of diabetic animals.” Inflammation and infection decrease the body’s sensitivity to insulin, a primary hormone involved in blood sugar regulation, he adds.
It’s difficult to balance a dog’s diabetes until the periodontal disease is treated, Bannon says. “Once that tooth is addressed, their diabetes is much easier to stabilize.”
Dental Disease Causes Pain and Sensitivity
Dogs rarely show signs that they’re in pain, and if they’re behaving and eating as usual, it may appear as nothing is wrong. That’s an incorrect assumption.
“Appetite is a strong drive. It is easy to avoid biting on a painful tooth. We all have seen dogs ‘inhaling’ hard food without chewing,” says Dr. Stanley Blazejewski, a board-certified veterinary dentist at VRC Specialty Hospital in Malvern, Pennsylvania. “But it is obvious that they can suffer from oral pathology because owners frequently remark that ‘he/she is just like a puppy again’ after treatment, adding that they regret postponing care.”
“It’s a hidden disease,” adds Dr. Donnell Hansen, a board-certified veterinary dentist with BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Blaine, Minnesota. Dogs may display signs of dental trouble such as drooling, a lack of appetite, swelling, or bleeding, but these do not show up in every case.
Usually by the time the signs come up, it is too late to the save the tooth, and there is a high likelihood the pet has been living quietly in pain for quite some time. “Most pets continue with their daily routine and it is not until we have the opportunity to address the fractured canine or wiggly molar that families will notice a difference in their pet,” Hansen says.
Dental Disease Can Lead to a Broken Jaw
Poor oral hygiene can lead to a broken jaw in dogs, especially smaller breeds with disproportionately large teeth, such as Chihuahuas, Lhasa Apsos, Maltese, and Shih Tzus, Hansen says. “Infection to these dogs’ mouths can weaken their relatively small jaws and something as simple as jumping off the couch can lead to jaw fracture,” she says.
It’s fortunately not a common occurrence, says Dr. Gwenn Schamberger, a board-certified veterinary dentist with WVRC Emergency & Specialty Pet Care in Waukesha, Wisconsin. “But I do see this and it is serious and very painful—it can be very difficult to get the fracture to heal appropriately— because the bone is not healthy bone,” Schamberger says. “I have also had patients that have had a fractured tooth that has been fractured for years and ‘not caused a problem’ and they become sick for another reason and now that fractured tooth does becomes an obvious problem.”
Most of the time it can be fixed, says Fink, who is also an adjunct assistant clinical professor of dentistry and oral surgery at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. “However, in many cases jaws that fracture due to periodontal disease present an extra challenge due to the lack of good quality bone in the area as well as lack of teeth.”
Symptoms of possible dental disease
- Bad/smelly Breath (halitosis) - please note that chronic bad or smelly breath in dogs can indicate a more serious or internal problem and should be checked by your vet as soon as possible.
- Gums that are red, swollen or puffy. Get to know what your dogs mouth looks like when it is normal so that you can easily see if problems are arising.
- Teeth or gums that are bleeding, even if just a little - don't just presume that your dog has chewed on something that has nicked the gum.
- Loss of appetite or dog seems to have difficulty in eating hard food or seems to be avoiding hard food.
- Excessive salivation where there was none before
- Listless - this may be by itself, or in conjunction with any others mentioned here.
- If any of the teeth appear discoloured or appear to be a bit yellow.
- Any cracked or broken teeth.
- If your dog is pawing at its mouth and some dogs may rub their mouths on the carpet.
- If there is any swelling under the eye or in the muzzle area - this may indicate an abscess.
Tips to keep your dogs teeth in tip top condition
Be pro-active and do all you can to prevent your best friend from the pain that tooth problems, remembering that dogs do not always show pain, until the condition is really bad!
- Get your dog into the habit of you opening and checking its mouth on a regular basis (we will be supplying you with future articles on how to achieve this and also how to brush your dogs teeth during the course of this month. Always make this pleasant for the dog and offer a treat at the same time.
- Brush your dogs teeth at least once a day, or a minimum of 3 times a week - yes, just like humans do, and hopefully for humans, twice a day! Ensure you use the correct brush and that a dog toothpaste is used. Many of these have a flavour that dogs enjoy which makes the whole process much easier. As above we will put up an article this week on how to brush your dogs teeth.
- Arrange to have an annual dental check up - prevention and early detection can eliminate future pain, illness and expense for you. Your vet may decide to clean or remove any diseased teeth which is normally done under sedation or a full anesthetic. You cannot believe how many dogs seem to have a new lease on life after this is done!
- Unless your dog has a health problem do avoid feeding soft food, especially canned. This is much more likely to promote plaque and the build up of tartar
- Raw feeding, especially supplying the correct chews to accompany same is believed to greatly help with dental health, however, raw feeding is not to everybodys liking. Speak to your vet as their are Prescription diets that can help with dental care. Some have a specific kibble that helps to clean the food as the dog eats, while contains ingredients that combine with the saliva to assist to remove plaque build up.
- Dental Chews - there is a wide variety available and we have supplied you with an article at the links at the bottom which will tell you more, but do remember that dental chews do not take the place of teeth brushing!
- Chewable items - these are great to help to clean teeth, however you have to be careful which one's you use, and check with your vet. Avoid chews such as hooves – these are well known culprits when it comes to chipped teeth! Some dogs love to chew stones and similar strange objects – try to avoid objects such as these completely, as they can erode the surface of the tooth and also cause it to chip. If your dog is chewing objects such as above on a regular basis, there could be an underling problem, which could either be physical or behaviour based, so do ask your vet what your next step should be.
An old favourite was to give dogs a rawhide to chew on - please avoid these. They can cause choking and blockages, especially if swallowed as they tend to swell when wet. Additionally unless purchased from a reliable source they can contain trace amounts of toxic chemicals and contaminants, and some dog can be allergic to either the rawhide or some of the ingredients it has been treated with.
Be pro-active and do all you can to prevent your best friend from the pain that tooth problems, remembering that dogs do not always show pain, until the condition is really bad!