Advances in doggie dentistry
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I was interested in getting my dog’s teeth cleaned since I know he has really bad breath. I had them cleaned a couple years ago when I lived in Gilroy, but I don’t remember the vet ever mentioning if “Gus” had any cavities. Do dogs get those, and now that I think about it, what about root canals, fillings, and crowns like people do? I hope I don’t sound silly, I was just wondering.
Gus’s mom
Dear Gus’s mom:
No, you don’t sound dumb at all! Your question really seems to ask whether or not dogs (and probably cats too, I would presume) get the same dental procedures as people do. The answer is, yes and no.
Dental care in small animal medicine is very good quality and delivered very safely, however, in veterinary medicine, we tend to “pull” more teeth rather than “repair” them. In general, good quality primary care small animal hospitals that perform dental cleanings for dogs and cats have good protocols to provide excellent dental care.
Most often this involves placing the pet under general anesthesia and charting and probing all the teeth, scaling off all the tartar and calculus (with an ultrasonic scaler) and polishing all surfaces of the teeth with a fluoride paste using a high speed polisher similar to that used by regular dentists. Many of us now enjoy the use of digital dental radiographs to almost instantly be able to view the “inside” of the tooth as well as the “roots” in order to see whether a tooth is cracked, damaged or infected.
Most of my primary-care colleagues tend to perform extractions (pull teeth) if they are severely compromised (cracked, impacted, infected, have an abscessed tooth root). However, there is a specialty within the veterinary community of veterinary “dentists” who have specialized exclusively in veterinary dentistry and endodontics by completing four additional years of veterinary training on dental and gum procedures. Although these highly trained specialists are few in number and more costly to enlist compared to “regular” veterinarians, they can perform everything from dental fillings to root canals and even “bridges” and braces on animal patients.
The veterinary profession has been progressing at a very rapid pace. Veterinary colleges offering specialty training and continuing education opportunities have allowed veterinarians to make advances in the level of dental procedures available to pet owners all over the United States. As clients have become more discriminating and educated about their pet’s dental health and veterinarians have focused on educating clients better, the need for improved dental services and skills has continued to rise.
I’m glad you are making sure Gus gets good dental care — in all likelihood you are making sure he lives a longer and healthier life by making sure he gets great dental care. Thanks for the question!
Dr. F.
