Allenstown Animal Hospital

"Competent, Compassionate, Experienced Care For All Of Our Furry Little Friends "

Dentistry and Dental Health

Periodontal disease is the most common infection seen by veterinarians. Periodontal comes from the Greek peri, meaning around, and odous, meaning tooth. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the tissue that surround the teeth. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 dogs and cats over 3 years of age have some degree of periodontal disease.

Periodontal Disease begins as gingivitis, which is an inflammation of the gingiva, or gums. You can see early stages of this irritation in the red line and slight rounding of the gum where it meets the tooth. Gingivitis is reversible if treated promptly. Left unchecked, the conditon advances to periodontitis, affecting the periodontal ligament, causing permanent tooth damage and, ultimately, loss.

Besides causing tooth decay and loss, the bacteria from periodontal disease enters the blood stream causing other health problems. Systemic infection from periodontal disease is one of the leading causes of kidney and heart disease in pets.

Dog and cat teeth have the same basic structure. The crown, which is covered in enamel, is the part above the gum line, or gingiva. Under the enamel is the dentin. The dentin extends below the gum line (gingiva) and forms the root of the tooth. The inner portion of the dentin is the pulp chamber, also called the root canal, which contains the blood and nerve supply for the tooth.

The photo at right shows healthy teeth and gums.

The teeth in the pictures to the right show different degrees of tartar buildup. The tooth in the upper picture is in the early stages of tartar formation. The tooth in the lower picture has severe tartar buildup. You can also see the red, swollen gum inflamation caused by gingivitis.

Dental Radiography

In some cases, often with older pets and those with more advanced dental disease, much of the problem lies beneath the gumline. In order to properly evaluate whether a tooth needs to be extracted, or can be saved, it is necessary to take xrays of any teeth in question. Using our modern dental imaging system, our doctors can evaluate your pet's teeth quickly and accurately.

The Cleaning Process

A thorough dental cleaning requires the pet to be under general anesthesia. The process for a routine dental cleaning involves scaling and polishing the teeth. It is during this process that a more complete oral exam can also be performed, evaluating the condition of each tooth.

Scaling

The technician in these two pictures is using an ultrasonic scaler which, through high frequency, removes tartar buildup and cleans above and below the gumline. Note in the upper picture the tartar buildup on the middle tooth and front canine tooth prior to scaling.

In this picture you see the same teeth after ultrasonic scaling.

Polishing

After scaling is completed, the teeth are polished with a special dental polisher and paste. This process smooths the enamel of the tooth.

Allenstown Animal Hospital

9 River Road
Allenstown, NH 03275

Phone: 603-485-7133

Fax: 603-485-3096