Dietary influences on periodontal health in dogs and cats.

A pet cannot be healthy without oral health. Periodontal is a significant disease that has local and systemic ramifications. It has been stated earlier that effective plaque control prevents gingivitis. In human beings, 90% of periodontitis occurs as the result of progression gingivitis, and this type of periodontitis can be completely prevented by plaque control. It is reasonable that dogs and cats react similarly and that effective plaque control could prevent a large percentage of periodontitis cases. Proper nutrition and effective oral hygiene are necessary components of oral health and should be jointly promoted in the management of oral disease in dogs and cats.

Evidence-based veterinary dentistry: a systematic review of homecare for prevention of periodontal disease in dogs and cats.

Successful treatment and prevention of periodontal disease in pet animals requires a multidimensional approach to identify and eliminate exacerbating factors, provide scheduled professional examinations and care, and plan and implement a dental homecare program. Over the years, many therapeutic and preventive interventions have been developed or advocated for periodontal disease, but evidence of efficacy or effectiveness is highly variable. Accordingly, the main objective of this systematic review is to identify and critically appraise the evidence supporting various aspects of homecare for prevention of canine and feline periodontal disease.

Coder Educator: The Way Forward.

The introduction of a new Coder Educator position in the Coding Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, has been a key strategy in the development and maintenance of a skilled coding workforce, the improvement of the level of knowledge of the coding staff, and the provision of a career structure for clinical coders. In this report, the experience is related from the perspectives of the Coding Manager and the Coder Educator.

Effects of a dental food on plaque accumulation and gingival health in dogs.

Recent studies have demonstrated that typical dry dog foods have significantly less efficacy in reducing accumulation of dental substrates compared to a specifically formulated and processed dental food. This study compared the effects of a typical dry food and a dental food on plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation in dogs during a 6-month period. Daily feeding of the dental food significantly reduced plaque and gingivitis by 39% and 36%, respectively, compared with daily feeding of the typical dry food. Feeding a food that decreases plaque accumulation and reduces gingivitis contributes to canine oral health maintenance.