Your dentist has you brush your teeth, floss your gums, and hopefully even rinse with flouride to keep your pearly whites beautiful; so what's a pet owner to do? Brush, BUT NO FLOURIDE, supply good dental toys & food, and keep an eye out for when the next surgical dental will need to be done.
Your veterinarian will check your pets mouth each time you go in. Visits are recommended each 6 months since your pets age 5-7 years for our 1. We are looking for red and inflammed gums, bad breath, nasty tartar buildup, and other proof of dental disease. All pet mouths have some disease once the adult teeth have erupted, but when it starts to damage the structures then we recommend a deep cleaning and polishing. Often, this will also require tooth removal to keep the rest of the body healthy. Bacteria from the dental caries are absorbed into the blood stream and cause myriad issues to the lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Going back to brushing, even an old pet can learn to allow it, but it's easiest to start when they are very young. Pets have deciduous teeth until 6 months of age, by then the adult teeth have erupted and each set of baby teeth has fallen out (if all goes as planned). Starting with gentle stimulation of the gums, using gauze/finger toothbrushes/large soft toothbrushes, the pet is introduced to the concept of something foreign in their mouth. You want your pet to get used to this different touch and "invasion" of their space, without making them nervous or hurting them. I am not brushing the "bite" between the teeth or on the inside surfaces where the tongue motion helps keep them clean. Using a flavor of NON-FLOURIDE toothpaste that they appreciate (poultry, apple, biscuit, vanilla, etc) can help with this transition. There are also gels, liquids, and powders available, use whatever is easiest for you. You start by "wiping" the canines, these big pointy prominent teeth stay in till 6 months, are easy to reach, and are pretty easy for a beginner to get used to. Over time the gentle wiping motion is extended back into the corners of the lips, I don't lift the lips, but slide my finger or the brush up under to the molars, premolars, and incisors. During the eruption phase of the youngster I usually avoid the spaces left by missing deciduous teeth until the new tooth shows, however my kitten enjoyed the stimulation of these areas and wanted me to touch them. Older pets start the same way, but may require more time before moving into all the teeth getting brushed. Everytime I finish they get a treat, either a crunchy dental treat or a rawhide.
For best results, do short sessions at first and extend the time as your pet gets used to it. Puppies and kittens are usually just wiggly, whereas adults may be protective of their mouths. Work within the constraints of your pet, not putting yourself in danger if they truly will NOT allow this. Once daily brushing is the best, but any is better than none, and if once a week is doable, do it.
Dental toys are great if you have a pet who uses them safely and willingly. These toys vary in their uses, and different pets will use or abuse different types of toys. Introduce any toy when you will be there to watch, play with your pet to see how it works, and dispose of any worn or dangerous ones immediately. The incisors are for picking up and nipping, not for grinding, so most toys don't help keep these teeth and gums clean. The canines are for grasping and puncturing, so soft toys and striated toys or treats work well. Premolars and molars are for grinding, so chew toys and striated toys and treats work well for them as well. Make sure stuffing, soft strips, small pieces, rawhide pieces, etc are not being removed and ingested. Tatters on toys usually mean it's time to get a new toy, or consider one that doesn't split apart so easily. Striated type toys and treats are those that have oriented strips to clean the teeth and get between and down to the gums. Ropes, dental treats, and dental foods like Science Diet T/D all can have this oriented strand that cleans as they penetrate the kibble. The ropes, as long as not being ingested, also act like floss in the right patient. Real bones are no longer recommended for chewing, as too many of our pets were breaking their large (carnassial) premolars, resulting in a need for surgical removal of this important tooth. The best toys and chews are hard, but not so hard as to damage the enamel (protective layer).
Once periodontal disease (gum reddening and swelling, smell, bleeding), cavities (feline resorptive lesions, canine wear or cracks), and infection (tartar, plaque, bleeding, smell) set in it is time for a dental. Even with good, daily burshing, this tartar will build up over time; that's why we get cleanings each 6 months at the dentist. Dentals clean, polish and remove painful teeth and foreign material, allowing the gums and teeth to recuperate and heal. They also decrease the bacterial load, ease your future cleaning of the shiny surfaces, and make eating and drinking more enjoyable again. Most dental patients will require antibiotics and pain medications after the procedure. Depending on their genetics and temperament they will also need dentals each year or so after the first one. Talk to your veterinarian today about this important health care option.
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