We see many cats with almost total destruction of the tooth
occurring under the gum line, yet the tooth appears normal on visual inspection.
Only a professional cleaning, under general anesthesia, can
get under the gum line to remove plaque and tartar.
This disease process develops because of the reaction to bacteria growing in the food / saliva residue
left under the gum line after eating.
To accomplish this correctly a general anesthesia must be provided for each pet patient to clean the plaque and dental
debris under the gum line.
Cleaning the tooth
surfaces under the gum line is the most critical part of a dental procedure; this is where periodontal disease is active.
Also, periodontal disease, or disease of the gums and support structures of the teeth,
occurs under the gum line and is very difficult to visualize.
Once the mouth has been evaluated, tartar is removed from the crowns of the teeth and
just under the gum line with special instruments.
Regular professional cleaning under general anesthesia, including
areas under the gum line will help reduce that bacteria's contribution to periodontis.
Initially plaque and tartar build up, progressing to bad breath, gingivitis, infection
starting under the gum line, soreness in the mouth, and finally advanced periodontal disease and tooth loss.
Deep cleaning
under the gum line with a curette, called root planing, to get at the bacteria and plaque in deep pockets
These beneficial bacteria are more effective than brushing, flossing or mouth washes because of their ability to penetrate
deep under the gum line.
A dental prophylaxis involves removing plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces, including
from under the gum line.
Any dentistry procedure, even simple cleaning, must be performed under general anesthesia in order to safely and properly
scale under the gum line and polish the teeth.
Some practitioners incorrectly treat these teeth by simply cutting off the visible part of the tooth, leaving the root structures in
place under the gum line to be hopefully resorbed over time.
This involves gently probing
under the gum line in several areas around each tooth in the mouth to measure periodontal pockets, or separation of the gums from the tooth root surface.
This floss is woven and tends to expand a bit when you use it — this allows it to fill the
space under the gum line for more thorough cleaning.»
Your tiny friend has periodontal disease at that point and if not taken care of will develop bone loss and build up nasty pockets of
pus under the gum line.
In some cases, deeper areas of periodontal disease with bone loss can be surgically treated to regenerate the bone, heal the
void under the gum line and save important teeth.
Animals need to be under anesthesia so we can ultrasonically scale the inside and outside of the teeth as well
as under the gum line.
However, similar to human dentistry, your plaque and tarter are coating the teeth firmly, and have
cumulated under the gum line (Pacific Animal Hospital).