Does someone in your house have bad breath? Can you smell your pet's breath when you walk into a room? Do you decline to let your pet lick your face anymore? If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, your pet could have a dental disease. In fact, more than 85% of dogs and cats over the age of four have some sort of periodontal disease, a painful inflammatory condition that allows bacteria to invade the gums, ligaments, and bone that support the teeth.

Dental disease starts simple enough. Following a meal, plaque, a material composed of bacteria, salivary proteins and food particles, builds up on the teeth and surrounding structures. Within 24 hours, plaque turns to tartar, the hard yellowish/greenish material that could be covering your pet's teeth right now. This material builds up on and between teeth, causing irritation, swelling, and bleeding of the gum tissue. This is called gingivitis. If allowed to continue, pockets of infection can form around the tooth and its supporting structures. Eventually, the bone and ligament that support the tooth are destroyed and the tooth is lost.

Prevention is the key. We recommend cleaning the plaque off the outside surfaces of your pet's teeth on a daily basis. Almost all pets will tolerate and even enjoy this time with you if you make it a regular, gentle practice. Start off slowly, letting your pet get used to your fingers around his/her mouth. Then gradually introduce a toothbrush, or other cleaning device, and a pet toothpaste. A technician can show you know this is done if necessary.

Canine Dental Facts

• Puppies have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about three to four weeks of age. They have 42 permanent teeth that begin to emergy at about four months
• Symptoms of gum disease include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the gumline, inflamed gums, and persistent bad breath
• Broken teeth are a common problem, especially among outdoor dogs. Aggressive chewing on hard objects, such as commercially available cow hooves, can be a primary cause.

• Symptoms of periodontal disease in cats include yellow and brown tartar buildup along the gum line, red inflamed gums, and persistent bad breath.
• Cervical line lesions are the most common tooth disease in domestic cats. Studies show that about 28 percent of domestic cats develop at least on of these painful lesions during their lifetime.
• Bad breath in cats can indicate more than the need for some routine dental work: It can also point to a number of stomach and metabolic problems. Some of the more serious possibilities that can be indicated by unpleasant breath are kidney failure or urinary problems.