World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Dental Guidelines

Abstract

Dental, oral, and maxillofacial diseases are some of the most common problems in small animal veterinary practice. These conditions create significant pain as well as localized and potentially systemic infection. As such, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) believes that un‐ and under treated oral and dental diseases pose a significant animal welfare concern. Dentistry is an area of veterinary medicine which is still widely ignored and is subject to many myths and misconceptions. Effective teaching of veterinary dentistry in the veterinary school is the key to progression in this field of veterinary medicine, and to the improvement of welfare for all our patients globally.These guidelines were developed to provide veterinarians with the information required to understand best practices for dental therapy and create realistic minimum standards of care. Using the three‐tiered continuing education system of WSAVA, the guidelines make global equipment and therapeutic recommendations and highlight the anaesthetic and welfare requirements for small animal patients.This document contains information on common oral and dental pathologies, diagnostic procedures (an easily implementable and repeatable scoring system for dental health, dental radiography and radiology) and treatments (periodontal therapy, extractions). Further, there are sections on anaesthesia and pain management for dental procedures, home dental care, nutritional information, and recommendations on the role of the universities in improving veterinary dentistry. A discussion of the deleterious effects of anaesthesia free dentistry (AFD) is included, as this procedure is ineffective at best and damaging at worst. Throughout the document the negative effects of undiagnosed and/or treated dental disease on the health and well‐being of our patients, and how this equates to an animal welfare issue, is discussed.

Improved Oral Health and Adaptation to Treatment in Dogs Using Manual or Ultrasonic Toothbrush or Textile of Nylon or Microfiber for Active Dental Home Care

“…A majority of dogs suffer from poor dental health [6,13]. Although knowledge may be increasing among dog owners regarding the importance of brushing their dog's teeth, it can be difficult to initiate and maintain the habit of daily tooth brushing [14].…”

“…Besides possibly leading to discomfort and local complications, associations have been shown between periodontal disease and renal, hepatic, and cardiac disease [9][10][11][12]. Professional dental cleaning under anesthesia without consecutive dental home care is mainly cosmetic and does not protect against periodontal disease [13]. Thus, daily tooth brushing is the gold standard for dental home care and is of uttermost importance to prevent future dental problems [13].…”

“…Professional dental cleaning under anesthesia without consecutive dental home care is mainly cosmetic and does not protect against periodontal disease [13]. Thus, daily tooth brushing is the gold standard for dental home care and is of uttermost importance to prevent future dental problems [13]. However, the degree of performed tooth brushing in dogs is low, with only 4% of dog owners brushing their dog's teeth daily [14].…”

“…Many dog owners experience difficulties when inspecting and caring for their dog's teeth [15]. In addition, dental disease often goes unnoticed by owners since dogs often do not show signs of dental discomfort [13]. Before starting to brush an adult dog's teeth, a thorough dental cleaning and examination under anesthesia is recommended to exclude painful conditions that may obstruct effective training of dental homecare in the dog [13].…”

“…Dogs may find tooth brushing uncomfortable and stressful. Training of the dog to accept brushing should ideally be gradual and include positive reinforcement (treats, praise) so as not to negatively affect the owner-animal bond [13]. To assess early physiological changes (e.g., tachypnea, dilated pupils), and behavioral changes (e.g., licking, altered posture), there are assessment protocols that can be used, one of which is the fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) scale [18].…”