It is very common for any dog over the age of three to have some form of dental disease such as tartar or gingivitis. In fact, statistics state 85%. This is why dental disease is one of the most common canine afflictions. The most common symptoms include:

Bad Smelling Breath or Halitosis

Bleeding gums

Display of blood on chew toys

As the progression of gingivitis and dental disease progress and become more severe, other symptoms will surface. These include:

Denying to Eat

Drooling

Inability or difficulty in picking up or chewing hard food

Pain when the mouth is opened

Enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw

Swelling on the face underneath the eye

With advanced dental disease; it is possible for bacteria from the mouth to spread to other organs and cause infections. Organs which may be affected include the heart, kidneys, and brain.

The Vet Visit – Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis of dental disease is based on physical examination. By opening a dogs mouth and examining its teeth, it is easy to tell whether or not calculus and gingivitis are present. While calculus and gingivitis above the gum are easy to diagnose, tartar accumulation and infection below the gum line cannot be diagnosed with a physical examination. They are usually diagnosed with x-rays of the jaw. Normally this is done during treatment because it requires general anesthesia.

To treat tartar buildup and gingivitis, your dog will need a professional veterinary cleaning. Performed as an outpatient procedure, it is simple and easy, but does require general anesthetic.

Under sedation, the veterinarian will clean and polish your dogs teeth both above and below the gum line. This is done in exactly the same manner a human dentist cleans and polishes peoples teeth.

If a dog has severe infection or abscesses on or around any of its teeth, the veterinarian will perform x-rays to determine if the tooth can or cannot be saved. This is done while the dog is sedated. If teeth must be pulled, don’t worry, most dogs do very well after teeth have been removed. Often times they are still able to eat solid food.

In some cases, owners may wish to not have teeth pulled. In this case, it is wise to see a board certified veterinary dentist. Root canals and other procedures may be done which might salvage a broken or infected tooth.

Dog Dental Disease Prevention

Brushing your dogs teeth is the best and most effective way to prevent dental disease. Always use a soft brush and toothpaste made especially for your dogs. It is important to note not to use human toothpaste as it was not meant to be swallowed and it tends to foam too much. Below you will find a detailed video on how to brush your dogs teeth.

Heather Fox is an experience veterinarian who loves to write and share about her experience and knowledge about her job. She started an online classroom at Clivir.com where she provide more information about Dog Dental Disease Treatment and Dog Demodectic Mange Treatment.

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