One of the rapidly growing specialties in veterinary medicine is dentistry.
The increasing awareness of dental health behooves me to discuss my holistic
perspective. Conventional medicine believes that tartar and calculus on the
teeth are the result of not keeping the surfaces clean, thereby allowing
bacteria to accumulate and produce plaque. The plaque combines with saliva and
hardens into calculus (tartar). The solution appears to be regular brushing and
cleanings. Root canals are performed to save
teeth whose root
chambers have been damaged.
As you probably suspect, my approach is different. I agree that diet plays a
role in calculus formation. I believe pet foods are very calculogenic (calculus
forming) because of their high carbohydrate content. Starchy ingredients such a
corn, wheat, rice, etc. become sticky (like glue) when moistened by saliva and
chewed. Starches are readily used by bacteria for food. In addition, kibble
forces pets to chew more than a natural diet. Chewing increases contact between
teeth surfaces and the sticky food making a bad situation worse. This explains
why the studies show that dry foods do NOT keep teeth cleaner. Mechanically
cleaning the teeth is not the answer. If starchy foods are harmful to a pet's
teeth, it is logical to expect them to be harmful to other parts of the body,
too. The sensible approach would be to change the diet
to one that is friendlier
to the carnivore mouth. This is
accomplished by mimicking the wild type diet as much as possible. What is
especially dental friendly
about the wild diet? Several factors come
to mind.
First, the lack of complex carbohydrates (starches) means the diet is less
sticky and less conducive to bacterial growth.
Second, the wild type diet requires less chewing. By nature, carnivores chew
very little (you have heard the phrase wolfing down
food). They do,
however, tear food apart which requires strong teeth and jaw structures. Thus, a
wild type diet helps to strengthen these tissues.
Third, a wild type diet contains tough fibrous tissues such as tendons which
act as natural dental floss to clean the spaces between the teeth.
Fourth, a wild type diet contains bones. Bones are nature's way of cleaning
dental surfaces.
BONES?! (I hear readers screaming as they read this.) Bones are
dangerous.
Pets can choke on bones.
They can puncture
the digestive tract.
A tooth can break from chewing on bones.
These are the things I often hear about the use of bones. As in many myths,
there is a kernel of truth, but it is small. Bones that have been cooked are
harder and more brittle than those that are raw. Most if not all of the problems
reported involve cooked bones. Studies have shown that bones are digestible.
Stomach acid dissolves out the calcium leaving the soft collagen framework. It
is possible for a pet to choke on a bone or break a tooth. Many people have
choked on steak, yet I don't see the world becoming vegetarian. In making a
decision whether to use bones, weigh the risks versus the benefits. Bones
provide good exercise for the teeth and jaws, keep the teeth clean, are a good
source of nutrients and are enjoyed by most dogs and cats. The risks include the
small chance of any of the situations already mentioned. What are the benefits
of not feeding bones? I know of none other than reducing the already small risk
of breaking a tooth, etc. What are the risks of not using bones? The greatest
risk is not as obvious as the increased dental problems already discussed. The
greatest risk is what happens to pets who need dental care — ANESTHESIA! Many
animals die during routine
procedures under anesthesia. The real
question in this debate is which is safer 1) chewing on a bone or 2) general
anesthesia? Is there any doubt? Carnivores have been eating bones for thousands
of years. Clearly, they are better designed to handle bones than anesthesia. I
have been using this approach for years and have seen pets with severe calculus
problems improve dramatically. The choice is yours.
In addition to dietary factors, teeth and gum problems may be a result of
systemic disease. While the oral symptoms may or may not be the only physical
problem, a thorough history including behavior patterns and emotional responses
will elicit other signs of imbalance.
As mentioned earlier, root canals are the standard treatment for damaged
roots. This procedure involves removing the tooth's life giving structures, i.e.
the blood and nerve supply. The remaining space is sterilized
by a
disinfectant solution and then the canal is packed with inert
materials and sealed. There are several problems. It is impossible to sterilize
the root canal. As a result, bacteria are trapped in this area. Additionally,
the body's ability to bring an immune response is reduced by the removal of the
blood supply. In effect, a root canal sets up a long term low grade infection in
the root area. Teeth are located on meridians
(channels through
which life energy flows.) A root canal can block energy flow resulting in
problems in seemingly unrelated organs. I have seen this occur. Many people have
reported an improvement in a variety of physical problems after having root
canals extracted. As for other options, there are reports in people of
successful treatment with homeopathy. Extraction of a tooth would be less
damaging to the general system.
Another common problem is feline neck caries. These are painful cavities that
form at the gum line. Interestingly, these are only reported in domestic cats
and are a recent phenomenon. This suggests that there is something in our health
care program that is producing these lesions. (Poor diets and vaccinations are
at the top of my list.) Putting in a non–mercury filling doesn't seem to be a
problem and will help relieve discomfort. However, the underlying cause is not
addressed in this way and it is likely that more caries or other symptoms will
appear.
Even in the area of dental care, conventional medicine follows its usual path
of treating symptoms and neglecting the underlying cause. Again, homeopathy,
diet changes, etc. are important keys to restoring health.
- Russell Swift, DVM, Classical Homeopath