Dental examinations including sedation, cleaning, polishing, probing, and dental radiography are recommended annually. Removal of supra gingival (visible) calculus is only a minor aspect of the procedure. Removal of subgingival plaque and calculus is actually more important, as this is where the disease process originates....
I recommend dental radiographs on every annual ATP (Assessment, Treatment, Prevention) I perform. Regardless if the visible crown looks good, there could be problems lurking below the gumline. Studies show that almost 3 in 10 dogs and 4 in 10 cats have problems under the...
For those of you that did not read my latest constant contact blog, I posed two questions regarding the usage of both Chlorhexdine 0.12% rinse/gel and Doxirobe 7.5% gel. What Is Chlorhexidine Rinse/Gel? Chlorhexidine rinse or gel is an excellent antiseptic agent that is used routinely in...
First things first: When you see an oral mass in the mouth of a dog or cat, biopsy it as soon as possible. Get a representative biopsy of the mass without interrupting the architecture around the mass. Smaller masses may be able to be removed...
A study of discolored teeth in dogs showed that 92% of those teeth were non-vital (dead). These teeth studied had been entirely discolored in shades of pink, purple, grey or tan. This study evaluated the discolored tooth via dental radiography as well as evaluating the...
Chronic Contact Mucositis/Stomatitis (formerly called CUPS) is an extremely painful disease process in dogs. While the exact etiology is not fully understood, research has shown that the body is reacting violently to plaque on a tooth, which triggers an exaggerated response of an immunoglobulin (IgG)....
The world is experiencing a crisis with regard to the overuse of antibiotics, and veterinarians are among those using them unwisely. We tend to use them without judicious consideration of the consequences. We are now 'paying the piper' with regard to antibiotic resistance in humans,...
When infected teeth are extracted, many vets will say that they intentionally didn't close the area to allow for pus or debris to be drained. Unfortunately, this myth can have severe consequences with regard to the healing of the extraction site, and can even cause...
Over the course of your pet's lifetime, he/she may develop oral problems such as broken teeth, infected gums, discolored teeth or worse even, a growth (tumor) in the mouth. Some are simple treatments, while others require a more complex treatment plan. Many problems can be addressed...
A tooth fracture, regardless of being minor (dentin only) or severe (into the pulp cavity), can be discomforting to your pet. It is obvious that a broken tooth that enters the pulp cavity can be extremely painful. However, even when the dentin is only exposed,...