Filters
Effects of a New Combination of Antibiofilm Enzymes, Antiadhesive Agents, and Liquorice Extracts on Plaque Accumulation in Dogs: An Unicenter, Controlled, and Randomized Study
Dental home care of pets plays a critical role in preventing periodontal disease. Active methods of dental home care such as tooth brushing are recommended along with oral hygiene measures that can help reduce dental plaque. The study evaluated the effectiveness of a new topical oral gel (TOG) in controlling plaque accumulation in dogs. After scaling and polishing, 32 dogs were randomly assigned to either a control group with no further oral hygiene care or the TOG group that received an application of the oral gel once a day for 30 days. All dogs were fed the same diet during the trial. Five parameters were evaluated in 9 target teeth on days 0 and 30: periodontal disease index (PDI), calculus index (CI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), plaque index, and oral health index (OHI). On day 30, comparison between the groups showed no differences for PDI and CI. However, OHI, PDI, and GBI were significantly lower in the TOG group ( P < .05). Furthermore, OHI and GBI decreased over time in the TOG group ( P < .05) and not in the control group. These results show that once-daily oral applications of TOG, without mechanical action, reduced the accumulation of dental plaque in dogs.
Effectiveness of Dental Homecare Protocols in Unscaled Dogs
Many dental homecare products are marketed, several of which have been evaluated using a “clean tooth” protocol (the teeth are scaled at the start of the trial). The efficacy of dental products in dogs that have not had their teeth professionally cleaned (“dirty tooth model”) has been studied far less often. Some dogs for which professional dental cleaning is indicated will not have their teeth cleaned because of anesthetic risk or for other reasons. In this study, 6 dental homecare products were evaluated against a negative control group; none of the dogs received professional dental cleaning at the start of the study. The home care protocols tested were: brushing every other day using a toothpaste, feeding a dental chew once daily (VF), adding a water additive in the water daily (AQ), brushing once a week + VF daily, brushing once a week + AQ daily, VF + AQ daily. Dental deposits (plaque and calculus) and periodontal health were assessed on awake dogs, before and after receiving the assigned homecare regimen for 8 weeks. Results were compared with an untreated control group. Dental deposits were reduced by regular mechanical action (brushing or VF daily). Periodontal health status was improved when AQ daily was combined with either brushing once a week or VF daily. Two scoring techniques useful for determining a recommendation from a veterinarian to commence home oral hygiene or recommend dental scaling as a necessary first step are described.