Dental disease in dogs and cats: what that breath is telling you

By three years of age, most dogs and cats have some degree of dental disease. It is the most common diagnosis I make on routine examination, and the one owners are most surprised by — because pets almost never stop eating, even with mouths that must hurt.

It starts with plaque, which mineralises into tartar within days. Tartar at the gumline causes gingivitis — red, bleeding gums — and untreated gingivitis becomes periodontal disease: infection that destroys the ligament and bone holding the tooth. By the time teeth are loose, we are salvaging, not saving.

Signs to watch for: bad breath (never normal in a pet), red or bleeding gums, yellow-brown tartar on the teeth, dropping food, chewing on one side, pawing at the mouth, and in cats, reduced grooming. A dog rubbing its face along the carpet after eating is telling you something.

It matters beyond the mouth. Chronic oral infection showers bacteria into the bloodstream, and periodontal disease is associated with heart, liver and kidney changes. The mouth a pet eats with every day should not be a source of chronic inflammation.

Home care that actually works: daily toothbrushing with pet toothpaste is the gold standard — even three times a week changes outcomes. Dental diets and VOHC-approved chews help as adjuncts. What does not work: dry food alone (the 'crunching cleans teeth' idea is largely a myth), and anaesthesia-free dental scaling, which cleans the visible crown while leaving the disease under the gumline untouched.

Professional dental cleaning under anaesthesia, with dental X-rays, is how we assess and treat what home care can't reach. Anaesthesia is what makes it safe and thorough — a proper dental on an awake animal is neither. Most pets eat more comfortably within days of treatment, and owners frequently tell me their older pet seems younger afterwards.