This disease process takes several months to happen and is very uncomfortable during this process. Tooth Resorption – These teeth are resorbing from the deep aspect to the surface. This tooth is painful and the socket is infected. This is caused by tartar and bacteria build-up that slowly destroys bone. Loose Teeth/ Bone Loss- This lower molar in a dog is loose to the touch due to severe bone loss around the roots. This tooth may be able to be saved depending on several factors, or may need removed. This is a perfect example that moderate to severe disease doesn’t have to affect the whole mouth. Gum Recession – Moderate gum recession (normal gum line noted by dashed line) on the canine teeth of this pet – all of the other teeth look healthy. This condition is painful and the jaw bone is infected. In this patient he had chronic nasal discharge coming from this tooth root infection. Hidden Tooth Decay – At the apex of the canine tooth you can see a dark area surrounding it – this signifies bone loss. Teeth this heavily affected most commonly require extraction.īefore – note all the gray/black material between the teeth, and After – all the debris cleared away This condition results in loose teeth, pain when eating, and gingival infection. This was all caused by gingivitis and decay from tartar and bacteria build-up. Looking in his mouth you should normally only see about 25% of the tooth length you can see here. Severe Periodontal Disease – After a thorough cleaning, this young dog with severe gum recession exposing roughly 80% of the length of the tooth roots. Specific examples below of different oral diseases. This mouth is heavily infected and painful. Note gray colored, sticky, debris present along the gumline. Note the lower right canine tooth and upper premolar that is almost entirely encapsulated in heavy debris and tartar. Multiple teeth are missing because disease caused them to fall out over time. Info about above stage 4: Severe amount of tartar/calculus present covering the majority of the teeth. Stage 3 Dental Disease – After cleaning – The gum recession is severe, with root exposure – this tooth has permanent damage from disease and needs extracted Stage 3 Dental Disease – Before cleaning – Note severe tartar and permanent gum recession. Stage 2 Dental Disease – After Cleaning – No permanent disease issues Stage 1 Dental Disease – After Cleaning – no permanent disease Routine cleanings (prior to late stage disease) and evaluation will reduce the amount of dental disease your pet experiences throughout their life, thus providing them with a healthier mouth and body. *Pets with stage 1 or 2 dental disease should be evaluated and a thorough cleaning performed prior to it reaching stage 3 (or 4) disease – Once stage 3 is reached there is irreversible damage to the tooth or bone structures which often requires tooth extraction. Roughly 99.99% of them require in-person intervention by a healthcare professional.Examples of Stage 1 through Stage 4 dental disease Due to the unfortunate nature of dentistry, there isn't really any true home remedies that will get rid of dental problems. The purpose of all of this oral health information is to encourage you to see your dentist and to inform you of what you may expect during your visit. The best thing to do is to go in person to see your dentist for an examination and consultation so that you can receive the best care possible.

It is not possible to give advice nor diagnose any oral conditions based on text nor virtual consultations. Each situation in your mouth is unique and complex. This blog is purely meant for information purposes and should not be used as medical advice. Since then I've developed a fondness for writing, which is how this all got started! It's been more than a decade since I first got to know dentistry and let me tell you, time flies by quickly. I graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in 2016 but prior to going to dental school I was already working in the dental field. Hello, I'm Dr Chen and I'm an actively practicing dentist in Long Island City, NY.

Gray between front teeth calculus