Dental Surgery
A clinical examination by a veterinarian is the first step in the assessment of your pet’s dental health. Many of the symptoms of dental disease might be detected at home. Phone to book a consultation if you notice any of the following:
- Bad breath
- Dribbling saliva
- Interest in food but reluctance to eat
- Pawing at the mouth
- Noticeable tartar build-up
- Loose teeth or bleeding gums
When teeth already have a coating of tartar the only effective way of removing it is to scale and polish the teeth – in a manner not unlike what a dentist might do for us. In pets, this procedure has to be performed under a general anaesthetic. This allows us to remove all the tartar from all the teeth, including that which has crept below the gum line. We can also inspect the teeth much more closely under anaesthetic so that any that are loose, badly broken or surrounded by infection, can be properly assessed. In some cases, extraction is the most appropriate treatment.
Tooth extraction may sound dramatic but is a relatively common procedure in dogs and cats whose dental disease had advanced unnoticed. It is usually well-tolerated, and removes a potential source of infection. Apart from causing pain in the mouth, infection of the gums and teeth can cause disease in other areas of the body including kidney and heart disease. The resulting dental sockets heal rapidly and with little apparent concern to the pets. Follow-up treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories is frequently required.
If a pet is very old or if there’s a medical reason for wishing to avoid subjecting him or her to a general anaesthetic then a course of antibiotics can provide some relief, albeit temporary, from the inflammation associated with tooth and gum disease. Antiseptic mouth rinses for pets, used daily, have good antibacterial properties and may also reduce gingivitis.
After scaling and polishing, the maintenance of good oral health can be achieved by implementing any of the various prevention strategies that seems the most appropriate for you and your pet(s).
Next: Anaesthetics
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