Role of diet in the development of dental disease

The most important factor that influences the development of gingivitis and periodontal disease in dogs and cats is the presence and the persistence of undisturbed plaque on tooth surfaces. Therefore management and feeding practices that minimize plaque and calculus formation or aid in their removal are important in the prevention of periodontal disease. Factors that are important include the frequency of tooth brushing, the type of diet that is fed, whether or not table scraps or non-commercial foods are fed, and the frequency of access to chew toys, rawhide chews, and biscuits.

Once plaque has been deposited on the surface of the tooth, it must be removed mechanically through abrasion provided by diet, tooth brushing, or chewing on supplemental chew toys or foods. Use of the antimicrobial agent chlorhexidine digluconate is effective for the reduction of breath malodor, plaque accumulation, and gingivitis in dogs. However, the success of chlorehexidine and other agents is greatly enhanced when they are used in conjunction with brushing, and the use of a chemical mouthwash alone is not effective in removing the hardened calculus that forms when plaque is allowed to accumulate. For this reason, an approach that provides frequent and consistent mechanical removal of plaque and calculus is desirable.

The type of diet that is fed has been implicated as a potential risk factor for the development of dental disease in dogs and cats. Early studies reported that dogs fed a soft diet developed clinical and histological signs of periodontal disease earlier in life that those fed a dry diet. The severity of disease in dogs fed a soft diet was also greater that that observed in dogs fed a dry biscuit diet. In another study, dogs fed a diet that required mastication did not develop gingivitis during the 1-month trial period. In contrast, dogs fed the same diet in a minced, soft form developed gingivitis and had signs associated with developing periodontal disease. Results from these studies indicate that while feeding a dry-type food may help decrease the severity or slow the progression of dental disease, dogs and cats still accumulate plaque and develop gingivitis and periodontal disease when fed a dry diet.

Current indications are that soft foods such as canned commercial diets or home-prepared foods are less effective than hard, dry foods in providing the abrasion needed to remove plaque that naturally forms on the teeth. However, it is important to realize that dry pet foods do not effectively prevent the development of gingivitis and periodontal disease and a good dental hygiene of the animal is needed.

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