Pet dental care is a vital aspect of caring for a pet, yet often ignored. Nonetheless, our pet’s teeth and mouths must be adequately healthy as well. Many pets are more dependent on their jaws and teeth than people are in several factors. For example, when dogs and cats can not use their arms, they may pick up and carry things with their teeth and play games. When it comes to oral issues, pets feel just as bad as we do; therefore, any problems that impact them can be painful and unpleasant.
What Causes Tooth Extraction in Pets?
There are many reasons to extract a dog or cat’s tooth. Some oral issues that lead to tooth extractions can be prevented or at least mitigated. The most typical reasons for tooth extraction are severe periodontal disease, tooth fracture, endodontic illness, tooth resorption, and caries or cavities.
The decision to remove a painful, unhealthy tooth is always better than keeping the tooth in the mouth untreated. You can visit this animal clinic and learn about the reasons for tooth extraction in pets.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a common health problem in dogs and cats. It occurs when the immune system attacks plaque bacteria, causing periodontal tissue loss. Periodontitis starts in the gums. Inflammation of the soft tissue can cause infection of the surrounding bone. Periodontal disease increases the loss of tooth attachment.
Loss of periodontal attachment can quickly lead to tooth loss, requiring extraction. Check this page online to see how periodontal disease can severely damage your pet teeth, leading to tooth extraction if not treated early.
Complicated Crown Fractures
Complicated crowns are tooth fractures that expose the blood vessels and nerves. Difficult crown fractures are painful, infectious, and dead or dying. Injuries to the mouth can cause tooth fractures in our pets. It is common for our pets to have tooth fractures when they chew on tough objects like rocks, antlers, toys or if they suffer an unexpected dental trauma. It’s not enough to keep an eye on teeth with fractures.
They should always be treated with root canal treatment or surgical extraction as soon as possible. If you want to know how vet surgery treats oral diseases in pets, you may read articles or seek advice from a veterinarian specializing in dentistry.
Tooth or Root Resorption
Tooth resorption is a condition that can affect both dogs and cats. This illness leads to tooth structural loss, nerve exposure, as well as pain. Tooth resorption is a relatively common occurrence in cats, affecting around one-third of the feline population. Pets suffering from tooth resorption may display subtle behavioral changes in their eating habits. Extraction is always the preferred treatment for tooth resorption with nerve exposure.
Cavities
In dogs, cavities on the external side of molar teeth damage enamel and dentin, perhaps exposing nerves. Cavities form when bacteria break down highly refined carbs, releasing lactic and acetic acids that destroy enamel and dentin.
Preventative oral fillings help cure cavities. Untreated cavities can damage the enamel and dentin of the tooth, exposing the pulp chamber. Root canal therapy could be an alternative if the tooth is not seriously damaged, although extraction is usually the only choice. Check this page online to see how cavities damage a pet’s teeth leading to tooth extraction.
Conclusion
Dental disease is common in dogs and cats. Sometimes, it worsens to the point of surgical extraction. As a pet owner, the objective is always to diagnose and treat painful dental diseases as early as possible, ideally before extraction is needed. To avoid surgical extractions, consult with your veterinarian or trustworthy veterinary dentist regularly to identify the most effective dental disease prevention methods.