4th: Gum disease Flashcards
What is the most common disease in dogs and cats?
Adult-onset gum disease
Above how much tooth motility is painful?
Any, but especially more than 1mm
What are four local complications of periodontal disease?
Mandibular fracture, osteomyelitis, oro-nasal fistula, mucosal ulceration
What is plaque made of?
Bacterial biofilm made of salivary glycoprotein, commensal aerobes, polysaccharide matrix
What happens to plaque as it thickens?
Shifts to anaerobes
After how many days does plaque become mature?
After day 2
What is the problem with mature plaque?
Causes periodontal disease
What is the cause of gingivitis?
Irritation by plaque
Is gingivitis painful?
No - bleeding doesn’t mean pain
What does plaque become as it mineralises?
Calculus / tartar / scale
After how long does plaque becomes mineralised?
After two days
How does mineralised plaque form?
Ca salts from saliva adhere to surface
What is the correlation between tartar and periodontal disease?
None
What happens during periodontitis?
Gum attachment loss, bone loss, attachment migration, pocket formation, ulceration
Which cats and dogs are more prone to periodontitis?
Pure breeds, smaller body size
Which four structures can plaque adhere to?
Calculus, enamel defects, fractured teeth, exposed cementum
What are four plaque stagnation factors?
Periodontal pockets, crowding teeth, gingival recession or hyperplasia, malocclusion
Do you need to eat for plaque to form?
No
Which foods result in less plaque dislodgement?
Soft or brittle
What is the ideal food to prevent plaque like?
Tough, non-sticky, maximises tooth contact, maximum physical exercise of periodontium
Which dental procedures can cause bacteraemia?
Scaling, extraction, chewing esp with large pockets, more mobility, more teeth affected
At what age do gum problems usually start?
3-4 years
What is the most important parameter for the prognosis of the tooth?
Pocket depth (go round the whole tooth and find the deepest part)
How far below the gumline can brushing get?
Only 1mm
