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Periodontal disease is an inevitable problem of man, cats and dogs unless prevented. In fact, 70--80% of dogs and cats have it by 3 years of age, and some of them are even younger. Nobody knows all the reasons behind why some individuals are badly affected, but some that are recognised are breed, size, long or short nose, infections with various viruses, medical problems and plain old bad luck!
Periodontal disease involves inflammation of the supporting structures of the tooth. It is caused by bacteria in the mouth and on the teeth in the form of plaque. As it advances from inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) to attach to the deeper structures of the tooth, infection is able to get into the blood stream and damage other organs. The commonest organs affected are the heart, liver, kidneys and brain.
In dogs, malocclusion (teeth in the wrong place) is a very common problem and often causes pain, this pain is not always obvious to us as their owners.
In cats it is thought that between 50 and 60% will develop painful holes in their teeth at some stage during their life… cats are extremely good at hiding dental pain.
Fractured teeth are common in both cats and dogs. If the fracture involves the nerve of the tooth it must either be extracted or have a root canal filling or the tooth will inevitably develop a tooth root abscess.
Click on the logo below to visit our website (www.petdentists.co.uk) where you can find out about preventing dental problems in your pet and much more.
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