Does your dog have breath that could peel wallpaper? Does your cat clear the room when it yawns? Could be those rotten teeth!

Dental care in pets is very important to a comfortable and healthy life. Dogs and cats do not brush their teeth and need to depend upon their owners to take care of this for them. In the wild, dogs and cats eat the entire body of their prey and the natural ridges on the bones clean their teeth. Domesticated pets don't get this experience with their food, so good dental care requires human intervention.

Periodontal (gum) disease is the major cause of early tooth loss in dogs. In cats, feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORL) cause the dentin of the teeth to be eaten away under the gum line. This causes pain and eventually the tooth breaks off of its root. It has been shown that early intervention can significantly decrease the progression of FORL and periodontal disease. Besides the obvious factor of pain, infected teeth and gums can decrease appetite, cause drooling or bleeding, and seed the body with bacteria.

As many humans can attest, a visit to the dentist is often very stressful and sometime painful. Humans can overcome their natural reaction to be afraid, but animals do not understand and can become very scared. It is for this reason that most dental procedures for pets are performed under anesthesia and analgesia. Pain control is very important.

Most human dental professionals recommend a total mouth radiograph every five years to catch problems before they reach the point of no return. Veterinarians perform the same procedure for pets. At Creature Comforts, a special dental radiography unit and automatic processor are used, exactly as is done in a human dental practice.

Teeth are usually cleaned with a combination of ultrasonic cleaning, hand scaling, bicarbonate "blasting" and rotary polishing. This leaves your pet's teeth gleaming both above and below the gum line. For most pets, this procedure should be done every 6 to 12 months. Small dogs and those with very long or very short muzzles have limited natural anatomy to help keep their own teeth clean. These pets require more frequent professional attention. Cats with FORL may be treated with a laser to prevent further progression or tooth loss.

Routine home care will improve the overall dental health of your pet. Daily brushing is considered to be the ideal method for optimal care. However, in these busy times many owners find it difficult to find the time and energy to add another daily task. Unless your pet has had its teeth brushed since an early age, it can be difficult to train them to let you brush them. There are alternatives which can make home dental care easier. Oral hygenic rinses and gels are very easy use, there are pads impregnated with chlorhexidine (commercial known as Dentacetic) which can clean the entire mouth and are disposable, and there are dental chews for both dogs and cats. Dental chews are impregnated with enzymes that are released as the animal chews, helping to break down tartar, and the chewing action itself cleans the enamel surfaces of the teeth. There are firm bones with knobby protrusions that also work well as a dental excerciser. Most dog cookies contain too much sugar to be an effective preventative, but there are tartar control diets with food chunks that are designed for optimal chewing and the pH of the food is adjusted to decrease tartar production.

It is a good idea to get puppies and kittens accustomed to getting their mouths manipulated. This can be done with a moistened gauze pad and then gradually a soft bristled tooth brush. Pet toothpastes are available and are generally flavored to be appealing to your pet.

The best approach to your pet's optimal dental care should be a matter of discussion at your pet's annual examination. In addition to the problems already mentioned, your pet's stinky breath could be caused by an abscess, a tumor in the mouth, a foreign body or even tonsillitis. Please feel to call Creature Comforts to schedule a free dental evaluation.