Oral Home Care Flashcards
What is the veterinary oral health council?
The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) is the only independent organisation that
assesses the effectiveness and validity of claims of oral care products to effectively reduce
plaque or calculus. Products that qualify are awarded the VOHC seal and this remains a
valuable reference site to evaluate oral care products.
Discuss tooth brushing?
It is important to advise daily toothbrushing. A
recent study found that brushing every other day and a very comparable results. The same
study found that brushing once a week is no more benefit than no brushing at all. An
amount for a minimum of four times a week is therefore advisable if any real benefit of
brushing is to be expected.
How should teeth be brushed?
Small circular movements aimed at 45° to the gingival margin gives good results and
owners appeared to manage this quite readily. The idea with tooth brushing is disruption of
the plaque biofilm and to prevent the build up to thicker mature layers that creates the
anaerobic conditions conducive to the detrimental effects of plaque accumulation and
subsequent periodontal disease.
Electric toothbrushes have the same benefits for humans and pets as it eliminates the
need for the fine movements that brush away plaque from the crown surface.
Discuss Oral Sprays and Rinses?
Chlorhexidine solutions of at least 0.12% or higher is been proven to be effective to control
plaque. Chlorhexidine appears to bind to soft tissue surfaces and have a residual effect of
up to 7 hours or potentially longer. Long-term use of this product could lead to staining of
the pellicle; this extrinsic staining can easily be removed by ultrasonic scaling and
polishing.
What is SANOS®?
Barrier Products
Dry the teeth with the air unit and apply liquid SANOS®, using the brush into the gingival
sulcus. Gently air dry as the air will also help move SANOS® deep into the sulcus.
Next, apply to the vestibular, palatal and lingual surfaces.
If there is any surplace of the product, paint over the tooth/gingival junction.
When it dries, it will act as a barrier in the sulcus, but will allow water and oxygen to pass
through. This will inhibit the plaque formation, increase oxygen tension, discourage
pathogenic bacteria and isolate plaque colonies.
What is OraVet®?
This product is applied to the tooth surface and creates a hydrophobic layer that might
improve plaque control.
Discuss dental diets?
The physical nature of formulated diets can play a role in the destruction of plaque during
normal mastication. Any dry kibble, if crunched, will have some abrasive action but this
often only affects plaque on the main cusps of these teeth as the kibble disintegrate on
first contact with a tooth. Some specially formulated dental diets have some information to
indicate an improved efficacy. In general, these kibbles are larger and softer to allow the
teeth to cut into these while still retaining some integrity that allows plaque to be scraped
off closer to the gingival margin.
Discuss dental chews?
The effectiveness of dental chews to reduce plaque depends on size and texture. Chews
that allow teeth to penetrate are probably the most effective. Consult the VOHC for
products that are proven efficacy.
An equally important consideration in the choice of chew is whether it would cause fracture
of crowns. In general, chews that can be bent can probably be safely chewed by dogs and
the rule of thumb: if you could make an indentation with your fingernail on a tube is
probably safe for dogs to chew them.
