Periodontal disease is the most common problem in the diagnosis and treatment of small animals today. When the pet is 2 years old, 70% of cats and 80% of dogs will have varying degrees of periodontal disease.
In most owners, periodontal disease is bad breath and tooth rot, but the problem is much more than that. Periodontal disease not only affects local oral cavity, but also further affects the disease and organs throughout the body. Characteristics of healthy gums: There are no stones in the teeth. The gums show light powder/coral powder, and there is no inflammation. There is bone filling between the roots. The production of periodontal disease originates from the substance formed by bacteria on the teeth: plaque. The direct action of bacteria or the toxins derived from bacteria can induce inflammation on the gums, and it is complexly intertwined with factors such as the hygiene state in the oral cavity, host resistance and immunity, showing different courses of disease.
At the beginning, the gums will become red, swollen, and congested, which is mild gingivitis. Mild gingivitis does not necessarily turn into periodontal disease. Because plaque can be easily removed by brushing your teeth, some of the friction when eating will also be removed.
As the tartars become thicker layer by layer, causing more severe inflammation of the gums, and then the crown will also be violated, and the connective tissue that "grabs" the teeth will be destroyed, which is a mild periodontal disease.
If gingivitis and tartars continue to stimulate, it will evolve into periodontitis. In addition to affecting the flesh of the gums and the surrounding connective tissue, periodontitis can also cause damage to the alveolar bone. Once the bone groove bone is destroyed, the entire gum will retreat, revealing the roots without the protection of enamel. At the same time, the teeth will also begin to shake, resulting in severe periodontal disease.
Prevention and Treatment
After understanding the occurrence and development of periodontal disease, we can conclude that pet periodontal disease should be prevented before it occurs, and the best preventive measure is to brush your pet's teeth.
If there are stones on the teeth of pets at home, many hospitals now have pet dentistry, and cats and dogs with serious conditions can be taken to clean their teeth.
I hope that all owners will pay attention to pet periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is not just about causing pets to lose teeth. Inflammation of gums can cause wounds, ulcers, and bacterial infections; damage to the alveolar bones makes the upper and lower jaw bones become fragile; suppurated canals may form between the mouth and nose, affecting the nasal cavity and compressing the eye sockets; oral discomfort causes pets to be unwilling to eat, etc.