Bhe-Jei Maltese

Care of the Teeth and Gums

Proper dental care begins with a professional dental examination by a veterinarian. The teeth are then cleaned with your pet under general anesthesia. The dental prophylaxis procedure involves removing calculus with ultrasonic scalers. This is followed by hand instrument scaling below the gum line. The teeth are then polished to leave a smooth surface making it difficult for plaque to gain attachment to the tooth surface. This dental prophylaxis should be completed every 6 months. It is then imperative to continue good dental health practices at home.

In order to prevent gum disease and tooth loss it becomes important to keep a pet's teeth clean on a day to day basis. This can be accomplished in several ways. Dental mouth rinses can control plaque and bacterial growth. Brushing the teeth with pet toothpaste is helpful. The act of chewing hard foods and chew toys will also prevent the build up of plaque and calculus. Nylon chew toys, rawhide, and hard biscuits have been shown to decrease calculus in dogs as well.

The physical process of brushing the teeth is a logical first step but requires knowledge of several basic principles to be properly accomplished. The first important factor is the choice of an appropriate toothbrush to complete the mechanical brushing of the teeth. There are several pet toothbrushes available. Most pets accept the act of brushing the teeth if the technique is approached in a gentle manner. There are many methods of toothbrushing. It is ideal to start dental care with you Maltese when young since it is easier to get them accustomed to permit you ready access to their mouths. It is important not to try and force the mouth open. The lips should be gently parted and the brush placed on the teeth at a 45-degree angle to the long axis of the tooth. The bristles should be placed at the gum margin, establishing an angle of 45 degrees to the long axis of the tooth, and gentle vibratory pressure exerted up and down forcing the bristle ends into the gingival sulcus (area around the base of the tooth) as well as into the interproximal embrasures (space between the teeth). The brush should be activated with a short back-and-forth motion without dislodging the tips of the bristles. Ten such strokes should be completed in the same position. The brush should then be lifted and moved to a new position and the process repeated. This cleans the teeth and avoids aggressive "scrubbing" actions. The process should be continued, section by section, covering three or four teeth at a time until all teeth are done. To reach the top surface and side surface of the front teeth, the brush is inserted vertically and the "heel" of the brush pressed into the gingival surface and activated with 10 short up-and-down strokes.

Baking soda and salt are not recommended due to high sodium content that can contribute to heart problems. Some pet toothpaste is flavored and Maltese seem to especially like these flavor-enhanced toothpaste's.

Chewing hard foods and chew toys also has been shown to reduce calculus in dogs. It is important not to rely on chew toys and hard treats for control of dental disease if your pet does not actively chew these products. Many pets will ignore these chew toys or toss them around without actively chewing them.

It is important to stress that the act of chewing is the method by which control of dental calculus with these products is attained. The pet that eats soft food and refuses chew toys needs to have more dental care by a veterinarian and more home care by the pet owner.

Home care should include daily (at least weekly) brushing, use of enzymatic "pet" toothpaste, and plaque-controlling mouth rinses. Taking an active role in the care of your pet's teeth will help reduce dental disease, bad breath (which is a symptom of dental disease), and potential life-threatening heart and kidney disease.

Retained Puppy Teeth

Maltese will typically loose their puppy teeth and cut adult teeth between 5 and 8 months of age. It is important to regularly check the mouth of your Maltese during this period of time. Many Maltese have puppy teeth with extremely long roots -- especially the canines -- causing these teeth to not fall out naturally. If this is the case it is important that your veterinarian pull these teeth to prevent a malocclusion. Many times pulling these retained puppy teeth can be combined with a spay and neutering procedure.