W
W
L L BOROUGH OF CULTURE
DOGGIE DENTAL CARE
BY DUGIE GEMMILL, PARKSIDE
VETERINARY PRACTICE
Some people say that you are what you eat but it is important
to realise that we are what we eat with. No, we are not talking
forks, knives and spoons!
One of the main driving forces in improvements in public health
and longevity in people has been improvement in dental care
and oral hygiene. Poor dental health doesn’t just affect one’s own
mouth and your neighbour’s nose! If you have severe gingivitis
then every time you chew, some of the bacteria from your mouth
get into your bloodstream and cause a temporary bacteraemia (the
bacteria are flowing around in your blood). In a healthy individual
the immune system removes these bacteria relatively quickly, but
they can cause problems - liver abscesses or heart valve infections
(bacterial endocarditis), kidney problems.
A dog with severe gingivitis is inhaling an aerosol of bacteria
with every breath. Periodontal disease is known to complicate the
treatment of some diseases, such as diabetes. Improvements in
oral hygiene; toothbrushing daily, fluoride toothpaste, fluoride in
the water have all helped to lengthen man’s lifespan.
Most of us will visit our dentist more often than we visit our
doctor. However, a lot of our dog patients have severe gingivitis
and damage to the gums and structures holding the teeth in place
because of poor dental hygiene. Couple this with greater degree of
wear from sticks, balls and bone chewing and the trauma that can
go along with these activities. Worn or even fractured teeth are
not uncommon in our domestic pets. Even a seemingly innocuous
and fun activity such as a lifetime playing with a tennis ball will
result in a significant wear and loss of tooth crown in an older dog
likely to have exposed the sensitive pulp cavity inside the tooth
We all know how uncomfortable and even sometimes painful
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toothache can be. How bad would that discomfort have to be to
stop you eating? Yet that is often the point where we realise our
pets have problems with their mouth or with their teeth. Dental
disease is often extremely advanced by the time a pet stops eating
– months of discomfort may have preceded this.
The DO’s, DON’T’s and AVOIDS are simple!
DO try and brush your pet’s teeth! It is the BEST way to prevent
gingivitis and progression to periodontal disease.
DO consult your vet! After an initial examination a detailed
examination under general anaesthetic is important. Only 30 to
40% of a conscious dog’s teeth can be visualised or accessed. The
teeth can be examined systematically, and a periodontal probe
used to check the ligament attachment. All findings are recorded
on a dental chart. The teeth, ligament and surrounding bone can
be assessed using specialist digital dental x-rays.
AVOID giving sweets, human biscuits and dried fruit to your pet.
DON’T throw stones and be careful feeding bones to reduce the
risk of fractured teeth. Tennis balls are abrasive as the surface
retains particles such as sand and soil which will wear the crowns
of the teeth.
Dugie Gemmill has been working as a vet on the Wirral for
thirty years and is the Clinical Director, and principal surgeon
at Parkside Vets, with an interest in all things surgical including
dental surgery, laparoscopic surgery and orthopaedics.