By BIANCA KAPTEYN
A clean mouth can add years to a companion pet’s life. Periodontal disease, commonly occurring in dogs and cats, is defined as plaque-induced inflammation – as it is with humans.
And just like us, our companion pets require daily home oral hygiene,
whether it’s brushing their teeth using an appropriately sized toothbrush, pet-centric toothpaste to oral products to reduce tartar buildup.
February is National Pet Dental Month, a good reminder for pet parents, to take their companion pets for an annual oral examination. Dental problems just don’t impact on pets’ teeth or gums, they can have a long-term impact on their hearts, kidneys, and other major organs.
According to Dr.DelGuidice, the National Emergency Specialty Director at AmeriVet Veterinary Partners:
“A thorough oral examination should be performed on your pet at least once a year to evaluate for dental health problems. Oral examinations with your veterinarian allow for early detection of gum and tooth disease that allow for treatment interventions that can alleviate pain, discomfort, and reduce oral infections.
Dental prophylaxis requires time and detail, while anesthetic free dentistry sounds appealing it does not allow for the most accurate evaluation of the oral cavity, which will result in lesions being missed or improper dental cleaning. “
–Dr. DelGiudice has been in private practice emergency medicine since
2002. Dr. Delguidice has worked at emergency/specialty hospitals in
California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. Louis has been
involved with the training of interns, and emergency/critical care
residents. In addition, he has served on several committees for both
the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and the
Veterinary Emergency Critical Care Society.