ABSTRACT Dental care for animals is often overlooked by clients . This article explores what can be done by veterinary nurses to ensure that more people understand the importance of canine dental hygiene .
At each veterinary visit , a full oral examination should take place , and it is our duty of care to make sure the animal is as happy and as healthy as possible . Nurse-run dental clinics can be hugely beneficial when carried out effectively and can enlighten many on the value of good dental hygiene .
Keywords Dental , periodontitis , canine , disease
Introduction
Periodontitis is an irreversible , advanced stage of periodontal disease . It is caused by bacterial plaque entering the periodontium , causing an inflammatory response ( Albuquerque et al ., 2012 ). It begins as gingivitis and plaque build-up but , if left untreated , serious damage can occur , as shown in Figure 1 . Gorrel ( 2013 ) describes how an animal with periodontitis will often present with several clinical signs , including halitosis , anorexia , nasal discharge , gingival bleeding and food dropping .
Diagnosis
A full oral examination is carried out by the veterinary surgeon for diagnosis . Red , inflamed gingiva can be a precursor of periodontitis , and steps should be taken at this stage to prevent the condition worsening . According to Berning et al . ( 2018 ), measuring the periodontal probing depth , periodontal attachment level , tooth movement and furcation defects are the most accurate ways to reach a clinical diagnosis . Radiographs should be used to support this .
Role of nutrition
Hard kibbled food allows for vigorous mastication and is therefore preferable to wet food . Studies have shown that with wet food diets , alveolar bones weaken and degrade much more quickly than with dry food ( Ackerman & Aspinall , 2016 ).
Diet and dental care at home are two of the most important ways to reduce the risk of dental disease . Although there is no cure , the progression of the disease can be reduced using surgical and medical approaches .
Dental care at home is strongly advised before surgical intervention . Non-nutritional options include toothbrushing , animal-friendly toothpaste and the use of rubber studded chews , allowing the physical removal of plaque and calculus build-up ( Gorrel , 2013 ). The veterinary nurse ( VN ) should show the client how to gradually introduce toothbrushing to the animal . Patience is key and the introduction can be made over several appointments .
Brushing a dog ’ s teeth is easier said than done , especially if the dog is not keen on the idea . There are a variety of oral care products ( e . g . MediPaws ® Plaque Off ), which can be added to drinking water to maintain dental hygiene and can be helpful in such cases . They contain enzymes that help decrease the level of bacteria in the mouth and inhibit plaque formation .
Dental-specific diets
Figure 1 . Plaque build-up can cause inflammation of the gums ( gingivitis ), which can lead to periodontitis ( PDSA , 2020 ).
Dental disorders are one of the most common issues seen in first opinion practice , alongside skin problems , obesity and gastrointestinal disease ( O ’ Neill et al ., 2021a ). Due to the pain of the chronic condition , clinical signs will continue and worsen until treatment has begun . O ' Neill et al . ( 2021b ) showed that brachycephalic breeds are 1.25 times more likely to suffer from periodontal disease compared with mesocephalic breeds , which should be considered in practice .
Reputable brands offer diets that can help to support dental hygiene , which will be stated on the bag . Dental-specific foods are designed to allow the teeth to penetrate each piece of kibble before it splits ( Hill ' s , 2018 ). When the animal bites down on the food , the plaque , stain or tartar will be removed from the gum line and down the length of the tooth ( Royal Canin , 2019 ).
A good visual aid for owners is the ‘ screwdriver and Tippex theory ’. In this scenario , the screwdriver represents the tooth and the Tippex is the plaque . Paint a small amount of Tippex on the tip of a screwdriver and let it dry before pushing the screwdriver into a dry piece of kibble . The Tippex will flake off , due to the
Volume 37 ( 5 ) • November 2022
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