CityU VMC Vets Tips! | Periodontal disease - the most common dental disease in our Pets

VMC Vets Tips! | Periodontal disease - the most common dental disease in our Pets

The good news is that periodontal disease in our pets can be prevented.

The bad news is that in the majority of our adult pets suffer in silence from periodontal disease for many years. Smaller dogs are more affected than larger dogs. Among cats, the pure breeds tend to suffer more than our domestic short hair cats.

Periodontal disease is caused by bacterial infection and affects all the structures under the gum tissue.

It starts with gum tissue getting red and swollen, known as gingivitis. Gingivitis can be an early stage of periodontal disease. It is reversible by brushing your pets’ teeth every day and removing bacteria from the tooth and gum line.

If we do not do anything at this stage, we will allow periodontal disease to progress. Bacterial infection spreads under the gum and continues to destroy bone with all the structures that hold the tooth in place. This destruction is invisible to our eyes and becomes painful to our pets.

Periodontal disease cannot be reversed. Once we lose bone and the structures that hold the tooth in place, they are lost forever. However, periodontal disease can be slowed down with dental surgery followed by daily home care.

The common belief that white teeth are healthy teeth is just wrong. Periodontal disease can exist under the gum line of “healthy” looking white teeth.

Once you notice bad breath or loose teeth the likelihood that your pet already is suffering from advanced stages of periodontal disease is high. But lifting the lip to look in the mouth does not diagnose teeth that are suffering from periodontal disease and causing pain.

The only way to prevent or slow down periodontal disease in our pets is to see your veterinarian. The annual dental cleaning at your veterinarian is part of this prevention. A dental procedure known as COHAT involves an oral examination with special tools to find holes in the gum followed by full mouth dental radiographs. Dental radiographs detect early bone destruction around a tooth under the gum that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

After the mouth is examined, a deep clean by scaling and polishing each tooth is done. This is the only way to identify, prevent or treat teeth affected by periodontal disease.

How to prevent or slow down periodontal disease after a dental cleaning? Daily home brushing and yearly dental visits to your veterinarian.

There are additional home care products that have the Veterinary Oral Health Council - VOHC acceptance seal of approval that can assist in slowing down periodontal disease. Ask your veterinarian for advice.

Appointment/Enquiry: 3650 3000 (Mon-Sun: 9:00am – 7:00pm)
Address: G-2/F, Trinity Towers, 339 Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po
Online booking for revisit with primary care veterinarians or vaccination: https://www.cityuvmc.com.hk/en/online-booking