Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for pets. Dogs and cats are particularly prone to tooth and gum diseases. An astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society.

Normal teeth in both cats and dogs should be white or just a little yellow. Gums should be light pink and smooth (except in breeds with pigmented gums). Oral disease begins with a build up of plaque and tartar in your cat's mouth. Without proper preventive and therapeutic care, plaque and tartar buildup leads to periodontal disease, which manifests in red and/or swollen and tender gums, bad breath, and bleeding. When the gums are swollen, they can be painful - a good rule of thumb is that if it looks like it might be painful, it probably is. Cats especially are masters at masking pain - when in doubt, assume that your pet is experiencing at least some discomfort.  

The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can lead to damage to other organs such as the heart, kidney and liver, and lead to other serious health problems. Dental disease can also be an indicator of immune system disorders.

Pets, especially cats, rarely show any symptoms at all unless the situation is literally life-threatening. They will eat even when their level of chronic mouth pain would send a person to the emergency room. They almost never paw at their face, even with loose or abscessed teeth. They get pretty smelly breath from eating cat food, so it's tough to tell by smelling the breath whether your cat has dental disease or just had breakfast. But even though they don't show us much in the way of outward symptoms, chronic dental/periodontal disease can cause severe and often irreversible damage to internal organs. So it's important to get regular veterinary exams at least once a year, and twice a year for pets seven and older or for pets with a known history of dental problems.

Brush your pet's teeth

Brushing your pet's teeth is the single most effective thing you can do to ensure good dental health throughout her life. This tends to be easier with dogs, but before you say "my cat would never let me brush her teeth," think again. Ideally, you get your cat used to having her teeth brushed when she's a kitten, but with a little patience and persistence, even older cats will accept having their teeth brushed. I started Allegra and Ruby on a regular brushing program at ages 2 and 1, and it's become so much a part of our nightly routine now that they will actually remind me if I forget to bring out the brush.

The Cornell Feline Health Center has an exceptional video titled Brushing Your Cat's Teeth which outlines a 4-week training program that should get most cats used to having their teeth brushed. I followed this program pretty closely, and it was much easier than I expected. It will work equally well for dogs.

Dental treats

There are a lot of dental treats and so-called "dental diets" on the market. Almost all of them are dry foods or treats. And I don't believe that they work - especially not for cats. Most cats don't chew dry food or dry treats long enough for any of the scraping action that is the theory of how these diets and treats supposedly work to kick in. What little they do chew shatters into small pieces. Some pet food manufacturers offer a "dental diet" that is made up of larger than normal sized kibble to encourage chewing, but in my years at veterinary practices, I've seen many cats swallow even those larger size pieces whole. Additionally, dry food leaves a carbohydrate residue in the cat's mouth that actually encourages growth of tartar and plaque.

The only dental treats I recommend are the CET Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Cats. The chews are also available for dogs. The enzymes in these treats are supposed to reduce the build up of tartar and plaque. The ingredients are not the greatest, but they're not horrible, either. The individual treats are about an inch long, so they're pretty big - the size of a small mouse - and it does take a while for my girls to chew them.

If you feed raw, you can give your pets raw chicken necks. Gnawing on the bones will help scrape away tartar and plaque. NEVER give cooked bones to your pets, they can splinter and cause intestinal perforations. Even though I feed raw, giving raw chicken necks exceeds my comfort level - not because I'm worried about them chewing on the raw bones, but because the one time I tried it, they dragged them all over the (carpeted) house.

Regular veterinary exams

Cats should see the vet at least once a year, cats seven or older twice a year.

Professional cleaning under anesthesia

Even with regular home care, your pet may need periodic professional cleanings. Pet guardians are often reluctant to perform proper dental procedures because of the need for general anesthesia, especially in the older patient. Pre-anesthesia testing can help determine the risk associated with general anesthesia and aid in the decision whether or not to perform a dental procedure.

Do not let anyone tell you that it's possible to perform a thorough anesthesia-free dental cleaning on pets. Anesthesia-free dentistry is essentially a cosmetic procedure that addresses only the parts of your pet's teeth you can see. An additional issue with just scraping teeth is that the mouth is full of blood vessels, which can launch oral bacteria into the bloodstream. Once the bacteria is in the bloodstream it can infect other organs.

© Ingrid King 2013, All Rights Reserved 

The "Friendly" Bacteria

Bacteria can get a real complex in this day and age. They get blamed for most of the coughing and sneezing that goes on when in fact, viruses are really the cause. Anytime a disagreeable meal is eaten and an upset stomach results, bacteria are blamed for food poisoning. In reality, you cannot live without the existence of certain bacteria in and on your body. The trick is keeping the "good" and "bad" bacteria in a healthful balance. Although sometimes necessary, antibiotics wreak havoc on the natural, helpful bacteria by decreasing their numbers in the digestive system and on your skin. Antibiotic therapy can also cause an increase in secondary infections of the urinary tract, skin and digestive system.

Bacteria and Your Bones

Your body has billions of naturally existing, beneficial bacteria that are mostly found in your large intestines and on your skin. These naturally occurring bacteria assist with digestion, strengthen your immune system and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. They also produce vitamins such as
biotin and vitamin K which are important for healthy bone formation. The foods you eat have a strong influence on the types and numbers of bacteria that reside in your intestinal tract.

"You are what you eat" is an old saying that was popularized in the 20's and 30's by Victor Lindlahr but holds as true today as it did then. The types of foods you eat will either increase or decrease the numbers of healthful bacteria in your intestines. It is the non-digestible food ingredients, such as fiber, that stimulate the types and amounts of healthful bacteria. These non-digestible substances are called Prebiotics and they are the actual foods that fortify your healthy bacteria.

Probiotics."Friendly" Bacteria

In the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Nobel laureate Eli Metchnikoff was the first to describe certain bacteria as having a positive benefit on humans. He hypothesized that it would be possible to modify the bacteria in the human digestive tract to improve health and reduce the
effects of disease and aging. To some extent his hypothesis was correct. The modern term Probiotics comes from his work.

Probiotics are a group of "friendly" bacteria, mostly Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, that are similar to the ones found normally and beneficially in your digestive tract. What can you do to keep these
friendly bacteria in place? Eat lots of fruits and vegetables which supply essential Prebiotics and eat foods that contain Probiotics such as yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso and some juices and soy drinks. 

Working Together For Your Health: Prebiotics and Probiotics

Together Prebiotics and Probiotics work together to keep a healthy population of bacteria in and on your body. Probiotics have been helpful in naturally treating gas, cramping and diarrhea as well as easing the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Research is being conducted on Probiotics to treat conditions such as infectious diarrhea; irritable bowel syndrome; inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Other areas of study are infections with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers and many types of chronic stomach inflammation, vaginal infections, skin infections and numerous others.

The Smart Choice

Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, fiber and foods that naturally contain probiotics is a smart choice for healthy living. Supplementing with a probiotic along with your other vitamins may also be a good idea.

Try these healthy lifestyle changes for 30 days. Feel what it is like to be a part of the health care solution rather than a health burden. If you need additional suggestions and advice on living a healthier lifestyle,call Woody McMahon at for a no cost consultation, or email Woody at  woody@sequoiahealth.com.

Photo by Joanna Slodownik, Flickr Creative Commons