Pet Dental Month: What causes Dental Disease?

Dental disease can be present in both young and older animals, however it does tend to be more common and more severe as our pets get older. Dental disease is associated with the accumulation of dental plaque and tartar formation. You may also hear the term periodontal disease when it comes to your pets teeth, this is a disease that affects the teeth and the structures around them.

What is plaque?

Plaque develops on the surface of teeth and is a film of bacteria. A small amount of plaque will not be visible to the naked eye, but the layers will grow and become thicker over time. It will appear as a soft, grey or white film on the tooth surface. Taking measures to reduce plaque development in our pets is an important step to preventing dental disease. Brushing your pet’s teeth can help remove plaque keeping your pet’s gums healthy.

What is tartar?

Tarter will develop over time if plaque is not removed from your pet’s teeth. As more plaque builds up, it becomes calcified and this is what we refer to as tartar. Tartar is clearly visible and looks cream or yellow in colour on the tooth surface. As tartar is hard, simple measures such as brushing will no longer be effective and you pet may require dental scaling at your veterinary practice. Dental scaling and polishing will be performed under general anaesthetic to restore them to a clean state.

What causes dental disease?

Tooth alignment
Diet
Infectious disease
Genetics
Lack of home dental care
Bacteria in the mouth

If you have any questions about your pet and their teeth, or if you are worried they may have a dental issue, please contact our team for your pet to be seen.