Dental Disease in Dogs

In dogs, dental disease most often starts with plaque, a bacterial biofilm that builds up on tooth surfaces above and below the gumline. If plaque is not removed, it mineralizes into tartar, while bacteria and the body's inflammatory response damage the gums, periodontal ligament, and supporting bone. This process starts as gingivitis and can progress to periodontitis, tooth mobility, and tooth loss.

Risk factors include:

• Small and toy breeds, which are more prone to early and severe periodontal disease
• Increasing age, since disease becomes more common over time
• Inadequate home dental care, especially lack of regular brushing
• Crowded teeth, retained baby teeth, or bite abnormalities that trap debris
• Previous dental disease or tartar buildup
• Diet, chew habits, and oral anatomy that allow plaque to persist
• Underlying medical problems that may complicate oral inflammation or healing, as determined by your veterinarian

Dental disease is often hidden below the gumline, so a dog's teeth may not look severely affected even when significant periodontal damage is already present.

Your veterinarian will usually begin with a history and an awake oral exam, looking for tartar, gingivitis, broken teeth, oral pain, swelling, and other visible abnormalities. However, a full diagnosis of periodontal disease generally requires an anesthetized dental procedure.

At a dental appointment, you can expect:

• A physical exam and review of symptoms
• Pre-anesthetic testing, commonly including blood work
• General anesthesia with monitoring
• Periodontal probing around each tooth to measure pockets and attachment loss
• Full-mouth dental radiographs to evaluate structures below the gumline and identify hidden disease
• Dental charting to record findings and guide treatment

X-rays are especially important because much of each tooth sits below the gumline, and significant disease may be missed without imaging. Dogs with advanced disease may also need evaluation for fractured teeth, tooth root abscesses, or other oral conditions.

Treatment depends on how advanced the disease is and which teeth are affected. The main goals are to remove plaque and tartar, control infection and inflammation, relieve pain, and save healthy teeth when possible.

Common treatment options include:

• Professional dental cleaning under general anesthesia, including scaling above and below the gumline and polishing
• Periodontal treatment such as root planing, curettage, or other procedures recommended by the veterinarian
• Extraction of teeth that are loose, severely damaged, or no longer salvageable
• Dental radiographs before and during treatment planning
• Pain control and, in selected cases, antibiotics when infection is extensive or extractions are performed
• Long-term home care, especially daily tooth brushing with a dog-safe toothpaste
• VOHC-accepted dental diets, chews, or oral hygiene products when appropriate

Anesthesia-free dental cleaning is not considered adequate treatment because it only removes visible tartar and does not address disease below the gumline. Even after treatment, dental disease can return if home care and regular veterinary follow-up are not maintained.