Pet dental care is a vital element of caring for a pet, yet often neglected. 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 aspects. For example, when dogs and cats can not use their arms, they might pick up and carry objects with their teeth and play games. When it comes to oral problems, pets feel just as bad as we do; therefore, any issues that affect them can be painful and unpleasant.

What Causes Tooth Extraction in Pets?

There are several reasons to extract a dog or cat’s tooth. Some oral issues that lead to tooth extractions can be avoided or at least mitigated. The most common 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 website and learn how veterinarians treat common dental problems in pets.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is a common illness 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. If your pet is exhibiting signs of periodontal disease, check out facilities like TLC Animal Clinic for a complete dental evaluation and treatment plan.

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 lead to tooth fractures in our pets. It is common for our pets to have tooth fractures when they chew on tough objects like rocks, antlers, playthings 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 your pet is suffering from tooth fractures, you can search online for “veterinary surgeon near me” to find the nearest surgical vet facility in your area.

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 recommended therapy for tooth resorption with nerve exposure.

Cavities

In dogs, cavities on the outer 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 alternative.

Conclusion

Oral 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 prevent surgical extractions, seek advice from your veterinarian or trustworthy veterinary dentist regularly to identify the most effective dental disease prevention methods.