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Although dogs and cats are highly domesticated, their predecessors had to
adapt by hiding symptoms of weakness or injury in order to survive. This means
that your pet may be suffering in silence from a painful dental condition such
as a tooth root abscess, a broken tooth, dental decay, or periodontitis. Often
the only thing that you might notice is that your dog no longer plays with chew
toys, your cat paws at her mouth more often, or that your pet is developing a
bad breath.
The main culprit that causes the development of a tooth infection, especially
periodontitis (an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tooth) is dental
plaque and tartar. At first, plaque and tartar cause gingivitis or irritation of
the gums; bacteria and other organisms quickly invade the inflamed tissues,
causing an infection. Left untreated, it will spread, causing stomatitis
(general infection of the mucous membranes of the mouth) or periodontitis, and
ultimately leads to tooth loss.
Fractured teeth can also set the stage for development of a tooth infection.
The most common causes of tooth fractures are playing catch with hard items and
chewing on objects such as bones or rocks. Teeth may break on the cusp or tip,
on the side (called a slab fracture), or along the root. Cusp fractures are
usually fairly visible, but both slab and root fractures may go unnoticed by us
until an abscess develops.
The third major cause of tooth infections in pets is dental decay. In dogs,
this is relatively uncommon, estimated at less than 10% of all dental problems;
in cats, enamel decay or erosion is a very common problem known by several
different names including "oral resorptive lesions", "cervical neck lesions",
"cervical line erosions", and other terms. When the protective enamel of the
tooth is lost, bacteria will quickly infect the tooth and surrounding bone. The
teeth ultimately become brittle and parts of them snap off, leaving behind
fragments that cause further problems.
In its early stages, a dental infection can be treated and controlled with
minimal pain and loss of teeth. However, once a tooth root becomes infected, it
will require either a root canal treatment or an extraction.
About two-thirds of all dogs and cats over the age of three are estimated to
have some form of periodontal or dental disease. During dental health month,
take your pet for a visit to your veterinarian and help your pet avoid the
discomfort associated with this hidden and often painful condition.
Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are
licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying,
printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written
permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented
here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination
of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
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