Good and Not so Good Dentistry

There is a wide variety of what is being offered in veterinary services these days over a very wide price range and quality.

For a cat with gum disease and lots of plaque, how can I be assurred that the tooth cleaning being done meets good vet standards? What questions need to be asked? It seems many vets, just anesthesize, scale and extract. Is that going to be sufficient to get rid of infectious agents in the mouth? I was told by one vet tech that radiographs are not necessary. Do you agree?
What is a periodontal probe and how is it used?

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Dentistry has not come as far in veterinary medicine as it has in human medicine.  For instance, very few owners (or animal companions), brush their pets teeth daily.  Any tartar that is produced in the mouth of any toothed species becomes permanent in 24 hours, so brushing once per week (or once per month as some owners do) only has an effect on the last 24 hours tartar production.  Many pets won't allow teeth brushing, much less flossing.

Very few veterinary practices have dental X-Ray capability.  My practice has digital X-Rays but we perform dental x-rays rarely, since we don't need to because we don't fill cavities, we don't perform root canals,  and we don't cap teeth (unless it is a big cat such as a lion or tiger).  There are a few referral practices that do perform these procedures because they have board certified veterinary dentists on staff.  

I think in the future veterinary dentistry will progress, and encompass filling cavities, performing root canals, and more in a regular, general veterinary setting.

Generally, unless your cat has infectious stomatitis or gingivitis due to bartonella or other bacterial or viral disease,  or is immunosuppressed due to Immune diseases such as: FIV or FELV or FIP than a good dentistry with peridontal treatment and post dentistry antibiotics should be sufficient to get rid of infectious agents in the mouth.  

Bartonella can cause secondary dental disease that responds to the correct antibiotic;  and, after treatment with antibiotics a dentistry is not always needed.

If you feel more comfortable ask your veterinary hospital for a referral to a veterinary dentist for a consultation.   Additionally, most veterinary schools have a veterinary dentist or two on staff.  You can search for a veterinary dentist by searching The American Veterinary Dentistry College: http://www.avdc.org/what-is-avdc.htm, or at The Academy of Veterinary Dentistry: http://www.avdonline.org/

Lastly,  Chronic gum disease in the feline can be a symptom of a systemic disease.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Dentistry has not come as far in veterinary medicine as it has in human medicine.  For instance, very few owners (or animal companions), brush their pets teeth daily.  Any tartar that is produced in the mouth of any toothed species becomes permanent in 24 hours, so brushing once per week (or once per month as some owners do) only has an effect on the last 24 hours tartar production.  Many pets won't allow teeth brushing, much less flossing.

Very few veterinary practices have dental X-Ray capability.  My practice has digital X-Rays but we perform dental x-rays rarely, since we don't need to because we don't fill cavities, we don't perform root canals,  and we don't cap teeth (unless it is a big cat such as a lion or tiger).  There are a few referral practices that do perform these procedures because they have board certified veterinary dentists on staff.  

I think in the future veterinary dentistry will progress, and encompass filling cavities, performing root canals, and more in a regular, general veterinary setting.

Generally, unless your cat has infectious stomatitis or gingivitis due to bartonella or other bacterial or viral disease,  or is immunosuppressed due to Immune diseases such as: FIV or FELV or FIP than a good dentistry with peridontal treatment and post dentistry antibiotics should be sufficient to get rid of infectious agents in the mouth.  

Bartonella can cause secondary dental disease that responds to the correct antibiotic;  and, after treatment with antibiotics a dentistry is not always needed.

If you feel more comfortable ask your veterinary hospital for a referral to a veterinary dentist for a consultation.   Additionally, most veterinary schools have a veterinary dentist or two on staff.  You can search for a veterinary dentist by searching The American Veterinary Dentistry College: http://www.avdc.org/what-is-avdc.htm, or at The Academy of Veterinary Dentistry: http://www.avdonline.org/

Lastly,  Chronic gum disease in the feline can be a symptom of a systemic disease.