Pet dental calculus
Define
The main component of dental calculus is calcium phosphate, accounting for 75%, and the other 15%-25% is water, manganese phosphate, organic matter, mineral calcium, and trace amounts of potassium, sodium, and iron. Dental calculus is usually yellow, brown, or even black, but some dogs and cats have dental calculus that is similar to the color of natural teeth, while others have obvious differences. The appearance of dental calculus is mainly because saliva (which is rich in minerals) forms an acidic compound under the acidic effect of the mouth, which is similar to salt. This substance is extremely small when it is first formed and is difficult to see with the naked eye, but it gradually forms dental calculus under long-term and deep acidic chemical reactions.
Medical history and previous symptoms
The formation of dental calculus requires three steps: plaque formation, maturation and mineralization. The first two steps are the formation process of dental plaque, which becomes the core of mineralization later. When mineralized substances are gradually deposited in the plaque matrix, the matrix is completely calcified and the bacteria are also calcified. Calcification first forms small foci, gradually increases, and merges with each other to form large pieces of dental calculus. At this time, dental calculus irritates the gums, which become red, swollen, inflamed, and bleeding. In severe cases, bad breath or periodontal disease may occur, and even loose teeth may fall off.
Development process: food residue → plaque/calculus → (irritation of gums) gingivitis → (inflammation leads to alveolar bone absorption) periodontitis → loose teeth → late periodontitis → extraction or spontaneous falling off.
How to tell if your dog or cat has dental tartar
Observe external symptoms:
Halitosis
Unwilling to eat dry food, less chewing of toys
Sometimes bleeding may occur between teeth and gums
Gums are redder than usual
Prevention and treatment of dental calculus
Like humans, pets also need regular teeth cleaning. Effective pet teeth cleaning can completely remove calculus and plaque on the surface of teeth, prevent and treat periodontal diseases; it can also effectively relieve the pain caused by calculus stimulation and bacterial metabolite invasion, and improve the quality of life of pets.
As a basic treatment for dental surgery, teeth cleaning can detect some small and difficult-to-detect dental diseases during the fine treatment process. Early treatment can prevent the condition from worsening. According to the pet's eating habits and brushing frequency, it is usually recommended to clean teeth once every six months to one year.
Unlike humans, effective pet teeth cleaning requires general anesthesia, that is, "anesthesia teeth cleaning". Because pets have a high degree of cooperation after general anesthesia, it is convenient for pet doctors to completely remove supragingival and subgingival calculus. After all, simply removing supragingival calculus cannot achieve effective teeth cleaning.
Considering that the biggest risk of teeth cleaning comes from anesthesia, in order to improve the safety of teeth cleaning, it is recommended to choose gas anesthesia, which is easy to control the depth and time of anesthesia.
Pet Teeth Cleaning Procedure
Chlorhexidine disinfection
After the pet is anesthetized, open the mouth, switch the coolant to disinfectant, and use the spray function of the three-purpose spray gun to disinfect the oral cavity.
PETFECT dental workstation three-in-one spray gun
After teeth cleaning, you can compare pictures to evaluate the cleaning effect.
Oral examination
Use a periodontal probe to detect the gingival sulcus and measure its depth. It is normal for dogs to be smaller than 3mm and cats to be smaller than 1mm (the smaller the body, the shallower the gingival sulcus depth). Once the depth exceeds the normal value, it is a periodontal disease and periodontal pockets will form. Use a periodontal probe to detect the depth of the periodontal pocket. Based on the depth and further oral filming results, the severity of the periodontal disease can be determined.
PETFECT Pet Dental X-ray Machine TT-32DX
Heavy calculus can be removed with dental calculus removal forceps to save time by applying shear force to the calculus on the surface of the tooth. Be careful when operating and be careful not to clamp the tooth into the jaws.
Ultrasonic cleaning
Choose the working tip according to the size of the tooth, adjust the machine power and water output, hold the cleaning handle in a pen-like manner, fix the tip with your fingers so that it is 15 degrees to the tooth surface, and use the edge of the working tip to remove calculus (it is also effective on the back and front, but the edge is more effective). Be careful not to let the working tip be perpendicular to the tooth surface to avoid damaging the enamel; and do not stay on each tooth for more than 8 seconds each time to avoid pulpitis.
PETFECT dental workstation handpiece
Subgingival scaling
Moderate and severe gingivitis will have calculus above and below the gingiva, so simple supragingival scaling is often not thorough and only has a beautifying effect. After ultrasonic cleaning, a three-way spray gun is needed to gently and persistently spray gas along the crown toward the alveolar direction to expand the gingival sulcus/periodontal pocket and make the subgingival situation visible. When calculus is observed, use a curette to reach into the periodontal pocket, probe to the bottom, rotate the blade 45° to 70°, and then pull the instrument out in the coronal direction to remove the calculus through the edge.
How to operate
Plaque display
Gently roll the staining stick on the teeth and near the gums. If there is plaque on the teeth, the tooth surface will be pink after staining. After staining for 30 seconds to 1 minute, rinse it with a three-purpose spray gun.
Polishing
After the calculus on the surface of the teeth is cleaned, polishing is required. The polishing procedure can not only restore the smoothness of the enamel surface, but also remove residual plaque in a targeted manner. Use a low-speed handpiece during operation, and set the speed below 3500 rpm. In addition to the 360° polishing on the gums, the polishing cup should be tilted outward and inserted into the subgingival area to remove subgingival plaque. Note that the polishing time for each tooth should not exceed 15 seconds.
PETFECT Dental Workstation Low Speed Handpiece
Check again
See if secondary treatment is needed.
Take photos
Compare the cleaning results. After communicating with the owner, inform him in writing and remind him of the follow-up visit time.
PETFECT Dental Workstation DTS280
