Phina's before & after smile

Phina the 9-year-old miniature dachshund came to our Pukekohe clinic to get her dental disease addressed. Despite the marked tartar buildup, most of the teeth were healthy and only 2 teeth needed to be removed due to bone loss.

Tartar buildup on teeth causes gingivitis which is inflammation of the gums. This can lead to a pocket between the gum and the tooth in which bacteria can accumulate. Over time, this bacteria can cause loss of the supporting bone around the tooth causing the tooth to become loose and causing the animal pain. Also, the bacteria can spread via the bloodstream to other organs and has been associated with kidney, liver, and heart disease in animals, as well as dementia in humans.

Tartar is calcified plaque. Plaque is the bacterial biofilm that coats your teeth, that fuzzy feeling you brush off in the morning. Controlling the plaque is the best way to stop tartar buildup and the best way to do this is to brush your pets’ teeth like we brush ours every day. You need to use pet-safe toothpaste as the fluoride content in human toothpaste is designed to be spat out. Fortunately, there are a variety of flavoured toothpastes available to make this experience a treat for your pet.

Dr Nikki Frost, Pet Vet, Pukekohe