Pandemic Periodontitis: The Growing Threat to Both Humans and Pets

It is often referred to as ‘wind’. The gums are cold and painful, as if the wind had blown them. This is because the inflammation has spread to the gums as well as the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. It is far more terrifying than tooth decay.

It keeps touching its face and head with its front paws, and it hates when its guardian touches its head. Bad breath is also a problem, but you don’t know where the inflammatory bacteria can spread. It is much more serious if it spreads through the blood vessels to the heart, liver, kidneys, or head. You may have to live with all kinds of sickness.

A bigger problem is that there are overwhelmingly many small dogs. And when you get older, it’s hard to avoid. Learn about the cause and treatment of periodontitis with veterinarian Choi I-don (CEO of VIP Animal Medical Center).

why does it happen

Bacteria grow between the teeth and gums. At first, it is in a state of plaque (plaque), but later turns into hard tartar. It also increases to toxic anaerobic bacteria. They damage periodontal tissue. Once periodontitis has occurred, it is impossible to restore it to its original state no matter what treatment is given.

When is it called periodontitis?

Periodontitis is a disease in which the bone that supports the gums and teeth (alveolar bone) is destroyed. This means that the inflammation has spread to the bones. When you lift your lips, the area where your teeth and gums meet becomes red, or when you sniff your fingers, you smell a foul odor. It smells fishy. This is the stage where a lot of tartar has already accumulated.

Are there any breeds that are particularly handsome?

Interestingly, periodontitis is “inversely proportional to weight and proportional to age”. In other words, it is said that it is better for older children who are smaller in size, and it gets worse again.

Why is that, especially for small dogs?

Small dogs have weak front teeth. In addition, there are many cases where food is swallowed right away without chewing. Doesn’t chew well. Medium-sized dogs are different from large dogs. You have to chew thoroughly to reduce plaque… .

In addition, the mouth is small and the teeth are densely packed, so there are many spaces for germs to hide. The tongue also goes around the mouth to some extent to prevent plaque from getting stuck, but the tongue is also short. If you look at 10 small dogs that come to the hospital, 8 to 9 are already in need of treatment.

Isn’t there an overwhelmingly large number of small dogs in Korea?

Yes. Small dogs account for more than 90% of the total. In addition, the number of older dogs is also increasing. It is a structure that has no choice but to increase gum disease. However, to treat periodontitis, anesthesia, and general anesthesia is required. People can do only partial anesthesia. That is also a burdensome part for guardians.

What is the difference between human periodontitis and animal periodontitis??

Gum disease is common in humans, but it is five times more common in dogs and cats than in humans. A dog’s mouth is more alkaline than a human’s mouth, so plaque is more likely to form. Also, the oral structure is different, and I don’t brush my teeth often. The causative agents of inflammation are also slightly different. That’s why kissing a dog or cat doesn’t mean it’s contagious or anything like that.

So, how are dogs and cats different?

There is no big difference. Cats over the age of 3 have a similar rate of developing gum disease at about 85%. However, cat teeth are relatively weaker than dog teeth. So, if your cat has periodontitis, the damage is greater. You should be more careful.

How is treatment done?

Once a diagnosis of periodontitis is made, general anesthesia should be performed. To do so, you need to do some tests first. I need to find out if anesthesia is possible.

After that, basically, the tooth surface scaling and ‘root planing’, which removes tartar attached to the root of the tooth in the gum, are performed. Inflammation requires medication, but also laser or plasma treatment. This is because it kills germs and helps tissue regeneration. If that doesn’t work, you have no choice but to pull out the tooth in the inflamed area.

What are the newest treatments with a good prognosis?

Recently, attention has been focused on plasma therapy. It is a treatment that kills bacteria and regenerates periodontal tissue by applying plasma to the gum sulcus and inflamed area after scaling. It is used not only for inflammation treatment, but also for treatment inside the gums, such as root of teeth, and other oral surgery.

In particular, it helps to reduce the use of drugs and reduce inflammation and pain in the treatment of chronic stomatitis, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The clinical effect is good, and related thesis is also being prepared.

How to prevent it in advance?

Brushing your teeth once a day is absolutely necessary. If you compare a child who brushes their teeth every day and a child who doesn’t, the difference is huge. Dog chewing gum or feed additives are said to be helpful to some extent, but there is nothing like brushing your teeth.

It’s fortunate if it’s before the gums become inflamed, but if you manage it through scaling, medication, and constant brushing in that state, you can prevent it from getting seriously worse. In addition, if you have regular checkups once or twice a year, you can find diseases that will pass without your guardian knowing at an early stage.

Meanwhile, Idon Choi Veterinariancompleted his bachelor’s and master’s degrees (2002) at Konkuk University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She also completed (2011) a PhD in Veterinary Surgery. She received clinical training in veterinary surgery and veterinary dentistry in New York, New Jersey, and Missouri.