Periodontal Disease in Dogs

Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease in dogs with up of 80% of animals affected (Riggio et al., 2011). This disease is progressive and involves two stages: gingivitis (reversible) and periodontitis (irreversible, but often controllable). It is caused by plaque buildup on teeth. The plaque is a smooth membrane, adhesive, contaminated with saliva bacteria and debris. Bacteria and bacterial products cause inflammation of soft tissue. The plaque becomes mineralised to form calculus, which migrates into the gingival sulcus, causing additional inflammation, loss of periodontal ligament, bone loss and ultimately tooth loss (Ford & Mazzaferro, 2007).