Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Periodontal disease progression in Yorkshire terrier puppies from 37
By Wallis, Corrin et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A longitudinal assessment of periodontal disease in Yorkshire terriers.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Yorkshire terriers was studied to see how common gum disease (periodontal disease) is in young dogs, especially those that don’t get their teeth brushed regularly. At just 37 weeks old, nearly all the dogs showed signs of early gum disease, with an average of about 30% of their teeth affected. The risk of developing gum disease increased significantly by 78 weeks of age, particularly in their canine and incisor teeth. This highlights the need for effective ways to prevent gum disease in breeds like Yorkshire terriers, especially since regular tooth brushing may not always be practical for pet owners.
People also search for: Yorkshire terrier gum disease prevention · dog tooth brushing tips · signs of periodontal disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease of dogs and has been associated with systemic disease. The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent of periodontal disease in a population of Yorkshire terrier dogs with and without a tooth brushing regimen. Each dog was assessed under general anaesthesia two to five times between 37 and 78 weeks of age. The extent of gingivitis and periodontitis was ascertained for every tooth in the mouth. Gingivitis was measured using time to bleeding on probing, and periodontitis was based on extent of clinical attachment loss (probing depth, gingival recession and furcation exposure). RESULTS: Of the 49 dogs assessed at 37 weeks of age, 98% had at least one tooth or aspect with early periodontitis (PD2, < 25% attachment loss). The average percentage of teeth with periodontitis in the mouth was 29.6% with 95% confidence interval (23.6, 36.4). The odds of early periodontitis was 2.74 (2.23, 3.37) times higher at 78 weeks of age compared to 37 weeks of age. The canine teeth had a significantly higher probability of periodontitis compared to all other tooth types at both 37 and 78 weeks of age (p < 0.001). In addition, at the same time points, the incisors had a significantly higher probability of periodontitis compared to the molars and premolars (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Breeds of dog that are susceptible to developing periodontitis, such as Yorkshire terriers, require effective treatments for the prevention of periodontal disease from a young age. Although tooth brushing is one of the most effective methods when it comes to preventative homecare, this is not always realistic, as was found in this study. Therefore alternative ways to retard or prevent plaque accumulation that are practical for both dogs and their owners are required.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31226991/