Transcript File
Dental Prophylaxis in
Dogs and Cats
Amanda Laffoon
Adv. Terminology
Fall 2014
Tarleton State University
Dental Prophylaxis
What is a dental prophylaxis?
If we break this down a dental pertains to the teeth and prophylaxis is to help
prevent disease.
*Veterinary terminology
What's in a tooth?
A tooth is comprised of many
structures. We have the
enamel that covers the
crown on the tooth. The
make up of the tooth is
dentin and in the middle of
the tooth we have the pulp
cavity which supplies the
blood vessels and nerves.
The portion of the tooth in
the gingiva (gums) has an
outer layer called the
cementum which helps the
periodontal ligament hold on
to the tooth. When oral
disease starts, the bacteria
can break down that bond.
*Veterinary Terminology
Canine Dental Formula
Deciduous teeth (baby teeth): 28
eruption : 20-35 days
completion of eruption : 50 days
shedding : 100-140 days
Permanent teeth (adult teeth): 42
Incisors : 105-125 days. Upper incisors erupt
before the lower incisors
Canines : 125-141 days (growth continues up to
9-10 months) Lower canines erupt before the
upper canines.
P1 : 110-150 days
P2/P3 : 150 days
P4 : 135-185 days (completed)
M1 : 140-165 days
M2 : 160-220 days
M3 : 180-220 days
*Virbac
Feline Dental Formula
Deciduous teeth: 26
Incisors : 11-15 days
Canines : 17-19 days
Molars (except first upper molar) : 2430 days
First upper molar : 37-60 days
Permanent teeth: 30
Incisors : 103-135 days
Canines : 149-153 days
Premolars : 150-174 days
Molars : 130-162 days
*Virbac
Performing a Dental
Link: Canine Dental
The animal is anesthetized, the teeth are evaluated to give a dental score,
radiographs can be preformed and then the dental begins. Using a scaler (hand
or ultrasonic) removes the plaque and tartar from the tooth. After the scaling,
the teeth are polished with an abrasive paste to smooth out any lines made on
the tooth made from the scaling (decreases particles getting into the grooves of
the teeth to set up camp for bacteria).
*American Veterinary Dental College
Dental Scores
Giving a dental score puts the patient on a chart
showing how severe the dental disease is and
how much damage has been done to the tooth
and gum.
Dental Radiographs
Link: Feline Dental Radiographs
Taking radiographs of the
teeth let us know what's going
on with the tooth below the
gingiva. Fractured or broken
roots, tumors, tooth resorption
and even unerupted teeth can
be seen. This information is
extremely helpful to the
veterinarian. The patient may
need extractions, root canal or
even surgery to remove
tumors.
*Dentistvet
Malocclusion?
Occlusion is how the teeth sit together
when the mouth is closed. Malocclusion
tells us the bite of the animal isn't
normal. This can be genetic or
environmental. Sometimes the default
can be from bone structure, to the teeth
themselves. It also weighs heavily of the
breed, are they brachycephalic (short
snout) or dolichocephalic (long snout)?
Types of maloclussion:
Overbite (sometimes called overshot, overjet, or mandibular brachygnathism)
Wry Mouth
Underbite (also called undershot, reverse scissor bite, prognathism)
Level bite (sometimes called even bite
Open bite (front teeth don’t meet each other when mouth is closed)
Anterior crossbite (canine and premolars occlude normally but one or more
lower incisors are in front of the upper incisors
Posterior crossbite (one or more premolar teeth overlap the upper teeth)
Wry mouth or bite (one side of jaw grows longer than the other)
Base narrow canines (lower teeth protrude inward and can harm the upper
palate)
*Petmd
Overbite
Signs of Dental Disease!
Bad breath
Loose teeth or teeth that are
discolored or covered in
tartar.
Your pet shies away from you
when you touch the mouth
area.
Drooling or dropping food
from the mouth.
Bleeding from the mouth.
Loss of appetite or loss of
weight
*American Veterinary Dental College
Lets talk bacteria?
Dogs are dogs and cats are cats. Have
you seen what dogs will eat? And cats,
well they love to clean themselves!
Over time these animals will develop a
dental calculus which will need to be
scaled off (removed). If dental issues
go on with no intervention these
animals can develop some really nasty
bacteria and it does way more than
make stinky breath.
What kind of bacteria is this? Usually
this is a anaerobic bacteria meaning
thrive best without any oxygen.
Oh just give them antibiotics! It's a bit
more complicated than that! If you are
not removing the dental
calculus/evaluating deep pockets you
are still providing a breeding ground for
these guys.
And did you know this bacteria can
travel through the blood stream?
Causing problems with the heart,
kidneys, liver and even the brain.
*Petmd
Prevention
Yearly exams by your
veterinarian. They will
evaluate your pets
oral health.
Brushing your pets
teeth with pet safe
toothpaste. Finger
brushes and wipes
are available.
Dental foods/treats
like t/d by Hills.
Dental chew toys.
*American Veterinary Dental College
Refrences
http://www.avdc.org/ownersinfo.html
http://peacelovepets.org/services/advanced-dentistry.html
http://www.virbac-dentals.com/p-dentalspuben/display.aspx?srv=pdentals&typ=pub&lang=en&cmd=view&style=styles/page2.xsl&select=PAGE%5B@ID$eq$PAGE_3%5D
http://www.avdc.org/carefordogs.html
http://www.dentistvet.com/radiography-with-dental-x-ray.html
http://www.mypetsdentist.com/bite-evaluation.pml
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/mouth/c_dg_Malocclusion_of_Teeth
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_dg_anaerobic_infections
Veterinary Medical Terminology, 3rd Edition, Janet Amundson Romich
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