Holey molary. Do pets get tooth cavities?

by DR. CHRIS BROWN

Cats

Dogs

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No two words send shivers down our spines like ‘tooth cavity’. Although to be fair, the dentist’s drill and a filling probably don’t help either. But what about the ‘other’ little people? So do pets even get cavities?

Well hole-y moley. Here's the answer you never saw coming...

But first of all, here’s a crash course on how WE get cavities.

Basically, the sugars we eat become food for the bacteria in our mouth. They turn this food into acid. If the numbers of bacteria get large enough (and we forget to brush!) then they’re able to produce so much acid that it eats away at our teeth forming a hole. A hole that then fills with more bacteria making a bigger hole. Lovely.

But get this. Dogs and cats DON'T get cavities.

Just don’t think for a second that means guilt free kisses. After all, we need to explain that breath…

Instead...they get something else.

And it's a bit of a mouthful. It's periodontal disease. Basically, all the bacteria in their mouths have a different approach. They break down left over food particles and form big clumps of tartar. That act like rafts for the bacteria to then invade into the gums.

The result looks like this...

So...what can you do?

Apart from looking at that image a little...less. Here's something a little cuter.

How to avoid periodontal disease
It's all about those mouth bacteria. Their numbers rocket higher straight after meals when they feed on left-over food particles. It's why their breath is often the most pungent then...

While you could try wrestling with a toothbrush, I developed a treat with active ingredients like Activated Charcoal and Atlantic Brown Kelp that can both neutralise those bacteria AND prevent tartar from forming.

And in the best news ever, my Teeth + Breath treats work even if your bestie isn't a big chewer. That's because the four active ingredients are absorbed from their stomach and end up in their saliva where they get to work neutralising bacteria and actually reducing tartar over time. It's just peace of mind they're actually working long term...

Oh and there is a rare cat cavity. The feline resorptive lesion. It’s where the tooth begins to dissolve itself away. While the cause is unknown, it’s thought to be either an autoimmune issue or caused by a virus.