Periodontal disease (also known as Apyorrhoea@) is caused by harmful bacteria in the mouth. Studies show that up to 85 per cent of all dogs and cats over four years of age have some degree of periodontal disease.

Whether or not your pet gets periodontal disease depends on what it eats, how much chewing it does, the presence of other diseases, the effectiveness of its immune defence mechanisms, and the level of dental care it receives. A healthy dog or cat mouth should be odour-free, and contain healthy, white, even teeth with pink, glistening gums that are tightly adherent to the teeth.

In the first stages of periodontal disease, the gums become inflamed and red, and there may be a slight accumulation of yellowish tartar to the teeth. If left untreated, this eventually progresses to plaque accumulation, gum recession, loosened teeth, bad breath, inflammation and bleeding of the gums, and eventually loss of teeth, oral infections, and even poor overall health. For example, an abscessed tooth can cause a serious bone infection or result in a fistula (a hole or opening) into the nasal cavity. It is also known that dogs and cats with periodontal disease release a "shower" of bacteria into their blood stream whenever they chew, resulting in a bacteraemia. It is thought that this bacteraemia may result in a life-threatening disease of the heart valves called bacterial endocarditis. Bacteremia can also adversely affect the organs with the highest blood flow, such as the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis and bronchitis), kidneys (interstitial nephritis), liver (hepatopathy) and nervous system (meningitis).

Prevention of periodontal disease can be easily accomplished through proper diet, chewing exercises, and regular brushing of the teeth. Your veterinarian can discuss these various methods of treatment with you.