Around 80% of dogs and 85% of cats aged 3 years plus suffer from active dental disease. If your pet is one of them, this article will help. It’s never too late to start preventative dental care for your beloved pet.
Firstly, we explore the links between canine dental hygiene and general health. We then highlight a case study, which shows how applying probiotics (healthy good bacteria) to the teeth improved oral hygiene significantly.
This post focusses on dogs and cats, but LUCAA+ Pet Probiotic Dental Care provides proactive, effective dental care for horses, rabbits and other animals too.
Nikol Stadeckova says ‘This is incredible!’
Overview – Why is Pet Plaque Remover Necessary?
The build-up of plaque and tartar in the gums, teeth and tooth sockets is the leading cause of dental problems in dogs and cats. An adult cat has 30 teeth and an adult dog has forty-two. Smaller dogs are more predisposed to tartar formation than larger breeds. Pedigree cats are more predisposed to dental disease.
It’s essential to take action if your pet has bad breath, red (lightly bleeding) gums, yellowish plaque and/or a thick layer of tartar on their teeth. This is because without intervention these symptoms of gum disease can cause reluctance to eat and subdued behaviour, and also progress to more serious health conditions.
It can lead to two main types of periodontal disease – gingivitis and periodontitis.
What is Dental Plaque?
Dental plaque is a sticky, off-white layer that forms on the surface of teeth soon after eating. It is created when your pet’s alkaline saliva reacts with food residues. These deposits promote the growth of harmful bacteria. If plaque penetrates under their gums, it causes inflammation, bad breath and bleeding (gingivitis). Unchecked, this can lead to deeper inflammation, abscesses, decay and tooth loss (periodontal disease).
If not removed, dental plaque reacts with mineral salts (calcium phosphate) in the saliva and hardens to create tartar. As this process starts within 24 hours of eating it is vital to remove the deposits with a pet plaque remover on a daily basis to prevent the formation of tartar.
What is Dental Tartar?
Tartar is not just a cosmetic problem; it is a painful condition that gradually causes irreversible damage to the soft tissue and gums. It presents as a yellow-brown layer of discolouration. Over time, tartar increases inflammation beneath the gums until the teeth loosen. This exposes the sensitive roots and often leads to the loss of the affected tooth or teeth. Worse still, if untreated, the infection can spread to the rest of the body and cause heart, liver and kidney problems.
Although tartar can be successfully removed by ultrasonic descaling, this is usually only a temporary measure. It can be quite expensive and usually needs to be repeated on a regular basis. This is because a fine layer of plaque is re-deposited back on the teeth straight after the first meal. Without regular removal the plaque soon turns to tartar and the whole process starts again.
Signs of Poor Dental Health in Animals
- Chronic bad breath.
- Red, swollen, bleeding gums.
- Pain when chewing.
- Loss of appetite.
- Subdued behaviour.
- Visible plaque or tartar (discoloured, brown or yellowish teeth.
- Panting.
- Excessive saliva.
Interesting read: 5 Things That Can Happen When You Neglect Your Dog’s Teeth
Why is Good Dental Hygiene Necessary?
The mouth is the portal to the body and a healthy mouth is linked to good health generally – for pets as well as humans. The key is to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria (‘good’ and ‘bad’) and other microorganisms found naturally in the mouth. This collection of naturally occurring microflora is called the microbiome.
The microbiome is the natural community of microorganisms, including bacteria (‘good’ and ‘bad’), viruses and fungi, that exist on skin, in the mouth, gut, and on surfaces, including in your home.
A diverse, healthy and dynamic microbiome supports good health, well-being and immunity. This is one of the most important factors in pet dental care.
An imbalanced microflora in the mouth produces an unpleasant smell, so bad breath can be an early warning sign of gum inflammation.
But new research is realising the crucial role of the oral microbiome in both oral and systemic disease: a healthy and balanced oral microbiome fosters good general health; but problems occur when the oral microbiome is out of balance.
The formation of dental plaque can involve around 400 different species of bacteria. When bacterial strains linked to dental and other diseases take precedence in the mouth this affects the equilibrium of the whole body. It’s therefore essential to take action if your pet has bad breath, red or lightly bleeding gums, yellowish plaque and/or a thick layer of tartar on their teeth. Without intervention these symptoms of gum disease can progress to more serious health conditions:
Serious Illnesses Caused by Canine Dental Disease
- Heart valve infection
- Liver infection
- Blood infection (sepsis)
- Poor appetite
- Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
Ref: iheartdogs.com
Restoring and maintaining healthy microbial balance in the mouth helps to protect animals from dental disease and its links to more serious illness. Read our news post Microbiome in a Bottle to find out more.
The Provilan Solution to Pet Plaque Removal and Tartar Removal
The Problem
Luca, a 4-year old Italian Greyhound dog had bad breath, extensive tartar formation and sore, inflamed gums (and a great name!). He had not had a procedure to remove the tartar by ultrasound.
The Solution
LUCAA+ Probiotic Pet Dental Spray 100ml contains healthy ‘good’ bacteria (probiotics), naturally sourced from plants. These helpful probiotics clean teeth, tooth sockets and gums at a microbial level. They inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, break down food deposits that cause tartar and foster better dental health.
LUCAA+ Probiotic Pet Dental Spray quickly restores healthy microflora balance to the mouth. This improves oral hygiene entirely:
- Balances the oral microbiome.
- Cleans teeth, tooth sockets and gums.
- Reduces gum inflammation and risk of periodontal disease.
- Reduces plaque and tartar build up.
- Freshens breath.
- Inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Natural ingredients.
- Vet approved, scientifically proven probiotic formula.
The spray is also vegan and PETA certified, with no harmful or toxic ingredients.
Pet Plaque Remover in Action!
Firstly, Luca’s owner cleaned his teeth gently once a day, using a toothbrush designed for pets (no toothpaste). She cleaned his teeth from the back towards the front, both the upper and lower row.
Secondly, Luca’s owner applied LUCAA+ Probiotic Pet Dental Care. 1 – 2 times a day, for three weeks, spraying directly onto his teeth*
*If your pet does not like brushing, apply using lint-free gauze or a small clean cloth or handkerchief wrapped around your finger. You can also apply using a toothbrush or pipette.
Before:
Luca’s teeth had a pronounced yellow coating in several places and tartar was observed on a large scale. The gums were inflamed and his mouth had a pronounced, unpleasant smell.
After One Week:
The inflammation around the gums is significantly reduced. The yellow coating is beginning to reduce and the bad breath is significantly improved.
After Two Weeks:
The coating from the surface of the teeth has almost completely gone. The gums are free of inflammation, and the bad breath smell from the mouth has disappeared. Parts of the hardened tartar begins to peel off.
After Three Weeks:
The smell from Luca’s mouth, the redness of the gums and the yellow coating from the surface of the teeth have completely disappeared. The tartar has almost completely been removed. There is no need to remove the tartar using a procedure such as ultrasound.
The Conclusion
This natural pet plaque remover spray protected and improved Luca’s oral microbiome and gum health. And significantly reduced his plaque, tartar and bad breath. It also gave him a lovely white smile. (Note: this is an extra cosmetic bonus; it does not always happen depending on the natural colour of the teeth).
You can read more here: LUCAA+ Probiotic Pet Dental Spray. The spray is suitable for dogs, cats and other pets with similar dental problems. It is also suitable for horses.
IMPORTANT: Always consult a vet if in doubt, if symptoms persist or if your pet reacts strongly to attempts to clean their teeth. (Don’t risk a bite!) Although Luca did not have any ultrasound or de-scaling, older animals may require tartar removal by a vet first. In this case, use LUCAA+ Dental spray for proactive maintenance afterwards.
Credit: Thank you to Probiotic Group’s Provilan distributor in Slovakia for sharing this case study with us.
