How Often Does Your Dog or Cat Need Dental Exams?

19 Jul How Often Does Your Dog or Cat Need Dental Exams?

Regular dental exams are crucial for maintaining the health of your dog or cat. Dental disease, particularly periodontal disease, is the most common disease seen in all dogs and cats. Numerous other dental and oral conditions, such as fractured teeth, malocclusions, and oral tumors are frequently seen in veterinary patients. Here are the general guidelines:

Dogs:

• Puppies: Initial dental exams should be part of their first veterinary visits. Puppies often have malocclusions (abnormal bites) that are painful from a young age and decrease normal chewing function. The sooner a malocclusion is diagnosed, the longer the potential treatment list of options will be. Most importantly, this will allow your veterinarian to intervene sooner to relieve pain and restore normal chewing function. 
• Adult Dogs: Annual dental exams are typically recommended, but more and more veterinarians are advising dental evaluations every 6 months. Many dogs do not get daily at-home dental care in the form of tooth brushing. If these dogs are only having annual dental exams without homecare, dental disease will most often be recurring well before the annual dental examination.
• Senior Dogs: More frequent exams, likely every six months, may be necessary as older dogs are more prone to dental issues. Just like humans, dogs can “cruise” their early years without severe dental issues only to cross an immune system threshold where the body reacts to the presence of chronic plaque and its associated bacterial component.

Cats:

• Kittens: Initial dental exams should be included in their early vet visits for the same as noted above for puppies. Fortunately, kittens do not seem to have the same incidence rate of malocclusions as seen in puppies, but they are not immune from an abnormal bite. Kittens also will be frequently diagnosed with conditions, such as feline juvenile onset gingivitis/periodontitis or feline chronic gingivostomatitis. The sooner these conditions are diagnosed the sooner your veterinarian can intervene with various treatments. 
• Adult Cats: Annual dental exams are generally advised, but the same principles apply as with adult dogs for more frequent examinations. In fact, cats are even more difficult to provide daily at-home dental for and will often require professional treatment more often than dogs.
• Senior Cats: Similar to senior dogs, senior cats might require exams every six months due to increased risk of dental problems. All cats are susceptible to painful tooth resorption lesions that require dental extractions. Cats who have been diagnosed with resorptive lesions are more prone to have additional lesions as they age.

Factors Influencing Frequency:

1. Breed: Certain breeds are more prone to dental issues. For example, small dog breeds and flat-faced cats may need more frequent exams. Small breed dogs have less bone in their mandibles (lower jaws) than larger breeds. This means that unchecked periodontal disease, which often leads to extensive bone loss will often be more sever for small breeds. 
2. Diet: A diet that promotes dental health can reduce the frequency of needed exams. Different prescription diets are available through your veterinarian. These diets may work via their fiber matrix composition and break plaque off teeth before it becomes calculus (tartar). Some diets also have plaque-inhibiting agents that will keep plaque from mineralizing into calculus. 
3. Oral Hygiene: Regular brushing and dental chews can help maintain oral health and potentially reduce the need for frequent professional cleanings. It must be stressed that for tooth brushing to be impactful it must ideally be done daily. Sporadic brushing will not have a significant impact on dental disease prevention.
4. Health History: Pets with a history of dental problems might require more frequent check-ups. Also, dogs and cats with other diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and other immunosuppressant conditions, will be predisposed to periodontal disease. Treating the dental disease may also improve the treatment of these systemic conditions.

Signs of Dental Problems:

• Bad breath
• Loose or discolored teeth
• Red or swollen gums
• Difficulty eating
• Excessive drooling

It should be noted that dogs and cats are very good at hiding pain caused by dental diseases. To show pain is to show weakness and this very much goes against their fight-flight genetic instincts. To show pain is to be more susceptible as prey, even when they spend most of the their time indoors. This highlights the importance of frequent dental examinations by your veterinarian. 

Regular dental exams are essential for preventing dental disease, which can lead to more severe health issues. Always consult with your veterinarian to determine the best dental care schedule for your pet.

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