▶ Allergic to Calculus

Dental calculus (also called tartar) is composed of calcium salts, food particles, bacteria, and other organic material.

Dental calculus (also called tartar) is composed of calcium salts, food particles, bacteria, and other organic material. It is yellow-brown and soft when first deposited. At the soft stage it is called plaque. The plaque quickly hardens into calculus. Calculus collects on all tooth surfaces, but is found in the greatest amounts on the cheek side of the upper premolars and molars.

This buildup of calculus on the teeth is the primary cause of gum inflammation. This occurs to some extent in all dogs over the age of 2. Certain breeds, such as Poodles, and smaller dogs seem to form calculus more readily. Dogs who eat dry kibble and chew on bones or dog biscuits have less calculus buildup than dogs who eat only soft, canned foods.

A characteristic sign of gingivitis is bad breath. The halitosis may have been present for some time-even accepted as normal. The gums appear red and swollen, and bleed easily when touched. Pressing on the gums may cause pus to ooze from the gum line.

Treatment: Treatment is directed toward preventing gingivitis from progressing to periodontitis and delaying the progress of periodontitis once it is established.

The teeth should be professionally cleaned, scaled, and polished to remove all plaque and calculus. Many veterinarians now use ultrasonic dental units, similar to the ones used on people, for cleaning dogs? teeth. For optimum results, the dog should be heavily sedated or given a general anesthetic.