I read somewhere that one reason doxies or smaller dogs for that matter, get a lot of plaque build-up is because they have thin skin which allows their teeth to be exposed to air and that promotes plaque build-up. I think I read it in Parade magazine, but I'm not sure. I know that with four doxies in three different sizes, the smaller the doxie, the worse the plaque.
I use a dental plaque tool to scrape the teeth and keep the build-up down. That and the dental wipes from Drs. Foster and Smith seem to help, Guinness is almost 12 and I hate to send him in for anesthesia, but he hates the vet's entire office AND staff, so if he goes in, it's nighty-night for him.
I also got a flyer from the vet for a dental procedure that can be done without anesthesia. Anyone every heard of it?
Karen
The theory makes sense. As a dental hygienist I can often pick out which patients are "mouth breathers" by the amount of plaque/tartar on their teeth. The saliva acts as a natural cleanser or protectant and when the teeth are dry, the plaque can really adhere quickly. Anytime I see someone who has great oral hygiene but still gets a lot of tartar around the front teeth, especially the top ones where I rarely see it, I will ask them if they usually sleep with their mouth open. The answer is usually yes. These are also the people who have sinus problems, snore a lot, or have a really bad overjet and can't close the lips together.
I haven't thought about the doxies having thinner skin around their mouths, but now that I look at Schatzi, it does make a lot of sense.
Wiily and Alex's vet said that the amount of plaque, etc., is due to the chemistry of the mouth. It has nothing to do with feeding wet food or dry food, stuff like that. I'm sure that brushing a dog's teeth slows the plaque down a bit. Willy and Alex are litter mates, and Willy needs a teeth cleaning yearly, whereas Alex can go two years between cleaning. Their teeth stay nicer longer when they have chewies to work on regularly.
Quote from: Teresa on February 22, 2007, 04:53:10 PM
The theory makes sense. As a dental hygienist I can often pick out which patients are "mouth breathers" by the amount of plaque/tartar on their teeth. The saliva acts as a natural cleanser or protectant and when the teeth are dry, the plaque can really adhere quickly. Anytime I see someone who has great oral hygiene but still gets a lot of tartar around the front teeth, especially the top ones where I rarely see it, I will ask them if they usually sleep with their mouth open. The answer is usually yes. These are also the people who have sinus problems, snore a lot, or have a really bad overjet and can't close the lips together.
I haven't thought about the doxies having thinner skin around their mouths, but now that I look at Schatzi, it does make a lot of sense.
Overjet???
You're a dental hygienist? Very cool. I'm sure you see some gross stuff every now and then.
Not as much gross stuff in the office I'm in now as I used to. We have a lot of well-educated patients, so they take great care of their teeth. It's interesting. These patients are not wealthy or anything, just have a good education and most of them have insurance. It really does make a difference.
Your vet is also right about the chemistry in the saliva. It is the reason why some patients could really use a cleaning every three months and others could easily go 18 months. A recent study I saw also stated that it is the PH level in the saliva and that it reacts with the carbs. I'm going to look into it more. Would be interesting to keep a check on my patients on a low carb diet and see if there is a difference.