Guest Editorial: February is Veterinary Dental Health Month

Veterinary dentistry – yes, it is a thing! And it has become an important part of veterinary medicine in the last few years. Chances are that if you have a pet, you have encountered talk of your pet’s dental health either by your vet, groomer, or on TV. 

So why do people seem to suddenly be caring so much about Fluffy’s teeth? Let’s start with why good dental health is actually so important for your dog or cat. Pets are living longer than ever before – some into their teens and 20s. And with these extra years there has been more time for their teeth to cause issues, and often those issues need to be dealt with-just as with us.

So what happens if we don’t deal with our pet’s tooth issues? Potentially a lot! In most of our patients’ mouths we see varying degrees of tartar building up, most often on the back teeth, or molars, where most pet owners never venture. This tartar is a good starting place for all kinds of bacteria to fester and cause issues from gingivitis, tooth root abscesses / infections, bone infections of the jaw, and, if left unmanaged, the bacteria from the mouth will circulate through the body and potentially cause issues in other organs such as the heart or kidneys.

So what do we do to prevent these issues? The best way to prevent dental issues is actually tooth brushing. There are several enzymatic veterinary toothpastes on the market (often flavored like chicken or similar) that are extremely effective at helping to prevent dental issues. 

And often brushing is not as hard as people think. Using a soft-bristled baby toothbrush, or a veterinary “finger-brush,” or even a moistened paper towel, you can gently rub some of this toothpaste on the outsides of your pet’s teeth three to four times on each side, and you’re done. Doing this even two to three times per week will make a huge difference for your pet.

That being said, there are those pets who don’t appreciate having their teeth regularly cleaned. Or, sometimes even if we do regularly brush, many factors (diet, genetics, lifestyle) can cause tooth issues despite regular brushing. 

In these cases, your vet may recommend a dental procedure. When tartar builds up on the teeth, it is literally like a rock- it is not something that can be easily removed. So during a dental, your pet will go under general anesthesia, and the tartar will be scaled off (just like when you go to the dentist). The teeth will be cleaned and polished, and generally your pet will go home the same day. Sometimes during the dental, we find teeth that are so diseased that they need to be extracted. But this is nothing to panic about, as animals do just fine after losing teeth, especially where proper antibiotics and pain medications are used after the procedure.

So the next time you see your veterinarian, ask about your pet’s teeth! See if tooth brushing is a good idea for you both, and get tips for maintaining Fluffy’s beautiful smile. February is Veterinary Dental Health Month, and is an excellent time to have those teeth checked out.