Dental Disease

Plaque forms on teeth which looks like a soft yellow deposit and is made up of bacteria, food particles and gum cells. Plaque eventually hardens to form tartar which if not removed can lead to gingivitis. The bacterial infection eventually works its way up to the roots of the teeth which then start to rot and the tooth becomes loose.

Some ways to tell if your pet has dental disease:

• Bad breath
• Yellow/ Brown tartar on teeth
• Dribbling
• Difficulty eating
• Pawing or rubbing the mouth
• Loose teeth or tooth loss
• Bleeding gums

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How to treat dental disease:

First step is to scale and polish the teeth under general anaesthetic. This removes the tartar and smooths tooth surface to slow down future tartar accumulation. With advanced dental disease, extractions may be needed.

There are several ways to help prevent dental disease such as:

• Tooth brushing
• Special diets
• Dental chews
• Water additives

You can discuss these with your vet or vet nurse.