How to check your dog for gum disease at home

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a common condition in dogs but frequently goes unnoticed by owners. The objective of this study was to develop and validate an in-home screening tool for the detection of canine periodontitis based on the identification of bacterial biomarkers in supragingival plaque. A series of studies were undertaken to establish methods for collecting dental plaque and stabilising its bacterial profile. These were used by owners to collect supragingival plaque samples in a home setting from their dogs (n = 127) whose periodontal health state had been determined by a veterinarian. Samples were screened for the presence of a bacterial biomarker of periodontitis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Evaluation of six swabs (10 samples each) for plaque collection indicated the CytoSoft™ cytology brush yielded the highest amount of bacterial DNA, determined using a universal bacterial qPCR assay. Evaluation of six stabilisation methods (10-11 samples each) showed no significant differences between air-dried swabs stored at ambient temperatures and those maintained at -80°C for 5 days. qPCR data from plaque samples collected by owners indicated an accuracy at predicting disease of 80.9 %, a specificity of 80.0 % and a sensitivity of 80.9 %. Collection of supragingival plaque by dog owners using the CytoSoft™ cytology brush and postage to a laboratory for qPCR analysis is a practical method of screening for canine periodontitis. The simple, cost-effective method is a viable proposition to enable the detection of periodontitis in client-owned dogs ultimately improving their oral health and quality of life.