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Originally Posted by Nancy1999  Thanks for the information, I too, have read really great breeders say they scale their dog’s teeth yearly, and wondered why people here are so against it. Did he have any idea why the tooth came out? |
He said it broke off, so he thinks she must have ran into something....who knows?! He said it definitely has nothing to do with her health or the health of her teeth....just some sort of accident.
About the scaling, it was my understanding that when plaque builds up on teeth, some of it is sort of forced under the gum line. My thinking is that keeping her teeth cleaned will help minimize the amount that builds up under the gum line (you could never completely prevent it, obviously). I asked my vet about being able to tell if plaque is building up under the gum line if her teeth have been scaled, and he said that her gums would show...that's how he'd know. He said that he'd be able to tell that she needs a professional dental for her gums even if her teeth look clean. Scaling the plaque DOES make their breath better, but I'm definitely not doing it for cosmetic reasons. He said that by scaling her teeth myself every so often, that she will need a professional dental less often, which he sees as a plus because that means less anesthesia....and it also means that we're keeping the bacteria in her mouth down, which can affect overall health. I also asked (again) about polishing the teeth afterward, and he said it really isn't as necessary to do that as people think it is. I don't know....it makes sense to me to get their teeth super smooth afterward, but I don't really know how long that super smooth even lasts?? My guess is, not long, but I don't know that for sure.
I agree that the decision to do it should be made on an individual basis, and I'm definitely not suggesting everyone should do it!!! It makes sense for us. I worked for several months awhile back as a dental assistant, and while I never did any scaling myself (you have to be certified to do that in OK at least), I've watched and helped with my fair share of scaling/cleanings. Also, my dogs hold very, very still for me. My vets know how much I love my babies, and I'm positive he would tell me if he didn't think it were a good idea. And let's face it, he would make more money if he told me not to do it. (He knows that I wouldn't do it if he told me it wouldn't be good for her--last Fall/Winter when Bella's S.A. had gotten so bad I couldn't even leave the apartment without my fiance being home to stay with her, my stress level (and hers!) was at an all time high...so high, in fact, my hair started falling out! It was a super hard decision for me to put her on Prozac because I didn't want to do anything to hurt her liver, but I finally realized that the stress was probably doing even more damage. So, I agreed just to try it, as long as we were really monitoring her liver enzymes. I spent over an hour talking with her vet, pretty much crying the entire time I was there...because the thought of putting her on medication upset me plus how totally stressed out I was. Believe me, he doesn't question for a second that I would do anything to jeopardize her health!) That's why I have to believe its helpful rather than harmful for me to do it....otherwise I definitely wouldn't.
Again, I'm only sharing what makes sense for us....I am in no way suggesting that it makes sense for all of us! And I also know that she will eventually need an under the gum line cleaning, which I can't and won't do. I'm sorry for causing some debate. I probably shouldn't have shared that.