b'Your Dogs Dental Health:Key to Overall Wellnessby Dr. Timothy HodgeBella is a two-year-old Golden Retriever Bacteria from the mouth can travel throughfilled with a zest for life. Like most dogs the bloodstream and impact organs, poten-herage,Bellaenjoysrunningaround tiallycausingchangesinthekidneys,playingfetchandgnawingonher brain, lungs, liver and heart.Dental dis-belovedtoys.Howeverbeneathher ease can easily lead to other organ systemgleaminggrinlayanissuethatoften disease or even organ failure. escapes the notice of dog owners: dental BellasJourneytoHealing-Tailoredproblems. Treatment for Gum Disease ProfessionalExploring Bellas Dental Experience Gum Cleaning:Dr. Hodge suggested aBellas narrative commences with a vet cleaningforBellatopreventvisit following her second birthday. During advancedstagesofgumdisease.this visit, Dr. Hodge observed signs of gin- This procedure includes cleaninggivitisan early phase of periodontal dis- both below and above the gumease(PD).Gingivitisistriggeredby line,polishingandrinsing.plaquea layer of bacteria that accumu- Fluorideandoralchlorhexidinelates on teeth surfaces. When left untreated, rinsesarehelpfultoestablishaplaque solidifies into tartar within a span of time, escalating trulycleanedmouth. Theuseofanesthesiaisnecessaryforinto gingivitis. This is most noted by redness and inflamma- cleaning beneath the gums. Remedial, non-anesthetic cleanings,tion of the gums (and possibly even bleeding).are purely cosmetic and offer no health benefits to the dog.Neglected gingivitis can advance into periodontitisa GumDiseaseStage1Treatment: ToaddressBellascondition that harms the structures around teeth, resulting in gingivitis,adentalcleaningwasperformedalongwithseveredentalandoverallhealthcomplications.Regrettably, a prescribed personalized home care regimen to prevent occur-similar to Bellas case, 70 - 80% of dogs encounter some form rences.of PD before reaching two years of age. Gum Disease Stage 2 Treatment: In cases where infectionUnderstanding the Structure of Dog Teeth pockets have formed, subgingival scaling may be required toThe teeth of dogs are primarily composed of dentin with enhance gum health and promote attachment.enamel covering the parts and cementum on the roots. Inside GumDiseaseStage3Treatment:Periodontaltherapy,are blood vessels, nerves and cells, housed within the pulp suchasrootplaning,isrecommendedifpetownersarechamber. Various components such as bone, cementum, the willingtomaintainhomecarepractices.Otherwisetoothperiodontalligamentandgums,providesupporttothese extraction might be considered necessary.teeth. Any disruption to this structure can result in health issues. Gum Disease Stage 4 Treatment: In these cases, extractionAddressing the Core Issue isneededandpossiblyothertypesoforalsurgery.Bella developed disease due to the accumulation of plaque This can be a painful and costly procedure. and alterations in her environment. Normally, bacteria presentin a mouth do not trigger a response. However, changes in this Supportive Therapy and Monitoringenvironment can lead to inflammation as a response from the Most dental procedures have the potential to introducesystem. This inflammation may allow bacteria to infiltrate the bacteria into the bloodstream. However, systemic antibioticsgums, forming pockets that host harmful bacterial growth. are typically not necessary unless specific conditions such asImpacts Beyond Oral Health from Periodontal Disease disease (PD) or compromised immune systems are present.Periodontal disease not only affects Bellas oral health, but Itisessentialtoconductmonitoring,whichincludescan also have systemic implications.In humans, inflamma- examinations and professional dental cleanings every 6 - 12tion caused by disease is associated with systemic conditions monthstoupholdgoodoralhealth.Mostdogswillneedaffecting organs like the heart and lungs. There is research on a professional cleaning at least once a year, but some dogsthistopicinveterinarymedicineandstudiesshowsimilar withgoodhomecare,canhaveacleaningeverycoupleeffects in dogs. of years. 62THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'