Is Periodontal Disease In My American Pit Bull Terrier Preventable

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Periodontal disease is the most widespread disease among animals and humans. Many of the techniques discussed in this article work for humans as well as animals. 80% of dogs have periodontal disease by the age of three. Prevention is the keyword in fighting periodontal disease. The mouth naturally harbors a variety of bacteria which causes established periodontal disease to be difficult to combat. If left untreated periodontal disease can damage the sub gingival tissue significantly enough to cause tooth loss. As tooth loss progresses, the infection can become systemic. If this occurs, the infection can spread to organs such as the heart, liver kidneys or lungs. Indeed the entire body becomes susceptible at this point. Periodontal disease often progresses with no obvious symptoms until teeth become loose in their sockets.

Plaque is a white film that forms on teeth. Plaque is a composite that is formed of food debris, bacteria, exfoliated cells and glycoproteins. If not removed from the tooth plaque mineralizes into a yellow or brown deposit called calculus.

The progression of periodontal disease takes months or even years and is easily prevented. For dogs, their owners need to brush their animal’s teeth daily. Dry food can assist the prevention of periodontal disease as it scrapes the teeth while a dog chews and is not tacky, which causes moist dog food to stick to teeth.

Humans can rinse their mouths with an antiseptic solution, which will help reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. However, this is problematic with dogs, as they will try to drink the solution. This problem has been combated by chew toys containing bacteria fighting compounds. Periodontal disease can be effectively combated with the provision of such a chew toy to your dog.

Plaque prevention gels and barrier sealants may be offered by your veterniarian to prevent the accumulation of plaque on and around the teeth. This barrier repels saliva, which may be heavily laden with bacteria, from the tooth. This prevents the colonization of oral bacteria that will help prevent plaque formation. Your veterinarian may also prescribe a specific brand of food designed to provide additional scraping of teeth which will prevent the accrual of calculus. After prescribing such a food, he will instruct you to feed your dog only that food.

The establishment of a grading system has enabled the identification of degrees of periodontal disease, which can assist with the determination of the appropriate treatment. Grade 1 periodontal disease is reversible gingivitis and routine dental cleaning can alleviate this condition. Past this point, all treatment should be performed by trained professionals.

Grade 2 periodontal disease is the early onset of periodontitis which is indicated by increased depth of the periodontal pocket; approximately 1 to 2 mm in an adult dog. The increase in the depth of the periodontal pocket stems from the deterioration of the alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and other gingival structures. Root planing, the removal of gingival cementum and calculus from diseased tooth roots, is often employed to combat grade 2 periodontal disease.

Grade 3 periodontal disease falls into the category of moderate periodontitis. Loss of sub gingival tissue ranges from 3 to 6mm in an adult dog. Periodontal surgery is often required to improve the condition of the teeth at this stage. Teeth with a diagnosis of stage 3 periodontal disease have a fair prospect of sustaining further damage.

Grade 4 periodontal disease is considered to be severe periodontitis. Sub gingival tissue loss is greater than 6mm. The outlook for teeth in this condition is grim. Many times these teeth are extracted. Efforts to save such teeth advance from periodontal surgery to periodontal splinting.

Consistently using the prevention techniques described in this article will prevent the accumulation of plaque and calculus on your dog’s teeth. A lifetime of healthy teeth is possible through the combination of these techniques and regular dental examinations. A clean tooth prevents the formation of active periodontal disease.

Is Periodontal Disease In My American Pit Bull Terrier Preventable
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